Abhijit Mulye By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government will work to prevent virginity tests by caste councils (jaat panchayats) and protect those fighting against such customs, Minister of State for Home Ranjit Patil said on Wednesday.

The assurance came in response to a calling attention motion introduced in the legislative council by Shiv Sena Chief Whip Neelam Gorhe.

Some educated youngsters from the Kanjarbhat community, a de-notified tribe, have begun a fight against the custom of checking a bride’s virginity by looking for blood stains on a white sheet after the wedding night. They have been physically assaulted and are being threatened with being thrown out of the community.

Gorhe said even though the state had passed the Prohibition on Social Boycott Act in 2016, people were still being threatened with boycotts. This called for quick and tough action from the government, he added.

In his written reply to the motion, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said at least two complaints had been received over the last two months. While in one case no action could be taken because no evidence or witnesses were produced, in the other six people from the caste council were arrested and preventive action was initiated.

During the debate over the motion — Hemant Takle and Vidya Chavan of the NCP and Husnabanu Khalife of the Congress spoke — emphasis was laid on the need to create awareness about the social boycott Act and provide protection to those who want such customs to end.

Gorhe questioned whether the government would bring out a circular to counter attempts by the caste council to block reporting of crimes like rape.

Patil said the government would issue a circular stating that any attempt to intervene in actions taken under the IPC and CrPC by caste council members would be considered an offence and dealt with strictly. He said a mechanism to review such cases on a monthly basis would be devised and strict implementation of the Prohibition on Social Boycott Act ensured.