Shillong, Nov. 22: Contrary to prevailing notions of emancipation, a village committee in matrilineal Meghalaya that has laid down a dress code for girls.

The Nongspung village committee (Dorbar Shnong Nongspung) in East Khasi Hills district has banned girls above 12 years of age from wearing trousers. They can only don their traditional attire. The village is located at a distance less than 50 km from the capital, Shillong, where policy makers daily indulge in brainstorming sessions to lead the state to modernity.

The village council, which took this decision and issued the diktat in September, defended their order saying the decision was taken “to protect the self-respect of women”. A press release issued by the village committee, signed by sordar (chief) W.K. Syiemiong and secretary D.N. Syiemlieh, stated that the directive was issued to help revive Khasi traditions and protect women from sexual abuse.

The release said men would be “provoked in different ways when they found women wearing pants”. One of the reasons behind “rise in cases of sexual abuse was that women wore pants,” it added.

The decree also stated that the order of the village committee would come into effect in all villages under Nongspung village council. It “requested” people of Nongspung settled elsewhere to follow the statute and “urged” women from outside coming to the village to avoid wearing pants.

The village council also prohibited drinking in the vicinity of village and warned of severe punishment if anyone disobeyed the diktat.

United Democratic Party legislator from Nongspung, J.A. Lyngdoh, pleaded ignorance about the resolution. He said he came to know about the issue through newspapers and will comment only after verifying the facts.