Role of Women in Khap Panchayats

Khap Panchayats have a long history of dispute resolution and life-saving, including caste
marriage. These village courts were responsible for the friendly settlement of disputes, before the
introduction of an effective judicial system, but many lost their relevance with the establishment
of the national rule of law.
Only in the post-colonial period began these institutions to play a political role. They have been
candidates and have supported various leaders and parties through electoral proceedings. In
terms of India, the relationship between culture, women's rights and gender violence can be
considered to be between Khap Panchayat. Their main trump card is culture from the many
reasons why such extrajudicial bodies exercise their control in society. They invoke cultural
practises that make men and women follow their command in the profoundly rooted beliefs and
values. The Khap Panchayats took this course "by taking on the role of a social or community
guardian" to enforce their diktat. The redefined culture concept has major consequences for
theoretical understanding of the relationship between law and culture. Worldwide cultural
excuses are used to tolerate or justify violence against women and discrimination against women.
If jat is a tribe then why ask for caste based reservation
In the early modern Indian subcontinent Jats are the paradigm example of community and
identity formation. "Jat" is an elastic label for a broad community ranging from simple farmers to
influential and rich Zamindars. The Jats had their origins in the Indus valley pastoralism and
gradually grew into farmers. In ancient era they fitted the criterion of the word ‘Tribe’ but with
the time passing they came under the ‘Kshatriya’ nomenclature used for a caste group.
Jats in haryana and seven other northern India countries are agricultural caste groups, especially
Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. They are the main caste in Haryana and thus politically
influential. Sir Denzil Ibbetson, in his article in the Panjab Castes following the census of 1881
noted that 'the Jat is an economic and administrative husband, a peasant, the income-payer par
excellence... he is usually content to grow his fields and pay his income in peace and quiet....' In
addition to government jobs and education institutions under the OBC category, the Jats on the
streets in all of Haryana demand a reservation.
Gender Perspective in Jat Reservation
Women proved to be the backbone of Jat reservation movement in several ways. Despite the
notion of gender based discrimination, women were seen frontline at many protest sites.
In contrast to last year, this time around the protests remained peaceful. Unlike the year before,
women are this year's unlikely foot soldiers.
In all of Haryana, thousands of women were mobilised in protest against the deaths of a 21 Jats,
30 of whom were killed in the last year's protests, to mark Balidan Dives or the "day of sacrifice"
on Sunday. Last year's protests did not result in Jassia's loss, though the police shot a young
person from these parts.