Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh: Vaishali, a class XI student of a girl’s school in her village Dudaheri, rarely practises what she preaches. She tells other young girls not to use mobile phone but frequently uses the instrument to communicate with the media.
An international player of football, she advises girls not to travel outside without their male guardians but has herself been to several places in the country and even America. “She has been to Mumbai twice, Ghaziabad and even America,” her grandmother Sohanviri first rattles off.
However, once Sohanviri realises the contradiction, she adds a post script. “Vaishali always travelled with her guardians. This is what we are insisting on for other unmarried girls.”
Vaishali herself has realised the contradiction and has lately stopped owning her mobile phone. “This is my grandmother’s phone. The mobile hampers studies and can also be misused.” When told that mobile at times can make women feel secure, she says she is only against its misuse: “girls should not flaunt mobiles in their hands in streets.”
Ask her as to how the women Panchayat could determine whether a phone was being misused and she clams up. It is apparent that Vaishali is being trained to be a leader by her grandmother Sohanviri who heads BKU’s women wing. Her father Ashok is also a leader with the BKU.
Vaishali claims girls are agreeing to boycott jeans and mobile phones on their own and not being pressurised to do this. “There is no pressure. Khaps only give suggestions,” says. Vaishali does not want her picture to appear in a newspaper.