In Dhariwal gotra-dominated Jaurasi-Fatehpur villages of Mewat, the Jat Khap Panchayat has abandoned a 500-year-old practice of ‘pagribandi’ (brotherhood) with five villages. “A maha panchayat held between seniors members of Jaurasi-Fatehpur (that holds chaudhar or leadership of 12 villages) and Gurgaon Gaon (that holds leadership of 18 villages) has decided to allow marriages in these five Jat villages — Gurgaon Gaon, Basai, Khandsa, Garauli and Dhanwapur, something which was banned till now,” Devender Dhariwal, sarpanch of Jaurasi village, said. While sources said the decision may have been taken to improve the skewed sex ratio (879 girls for every 1,000 males), a result of female foeticide, the panchayat said “female foeticide is a thing of past”. “This the first time a khap panchayat has taken such a progressive step. The Jat community has been very strict regarding marriages, but now we are changing with time,” 80-year-old panchayat member Ved Ram Dhariwal said.

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