Maharashtra village imposes Rs 500 fine for abuses targeting mothers or sisters

The resolution was passed during a special women’s Gram Sabha organised to mark International Women's Day. (AI-generated image)

Residents of Kolgaon in Maharashtra have adopted a new rule intended to discourage abusive expressions frequently heard in everyday arguments.

The village Gram Panchayat has approved a proposal that allows authorities to impose a Rs 500 penalty on individuals who use insulting language referring to someone’s mother or sister.

The resolution was passed during a special women’s Gram Sabha organised to mark International Women's Day.

Kolgaon, located in Shrigonda, has a population of roughly 9,000 residents and its economy is largely dependent on agriculture. People from several caste groups and religious communities live in the village.

The meeting was conducted according to government guidelines that encourage women’s participation in local governance. It was chaired by senior Anganwadi worker Shakuntala Deshmukh.

The gathering initially focused on honouring women from the village who had achieved recognition in agriculture and other fields. However, the discussion later shifted to the use of offensive languageduring everyday disputes.

The issue was raised by Pooja Jagtap, a member of a self-help group from a farming family. She questioned why insults involving references to a person’s mother or sister had become common in routine arguments and why such behaviour continued to be tolerated within communities.

Her suggestion prompted a wider discussion among villagers, eventually leading to the proposal being formally adopted by the Gram Sabha.

Under the newly adopted rule, anyone found using abusive expressions referring to a person’s mother or sister can be required to pay a Rs 500 fine.

To ensure the regulation is not misused, the village authorities have introduced a specific condition: penalties will only be imposed when digital proof of the incident is provided.

Residents can submit audio or video recordings as evidence to the panchayat if someone is heard using such language. The case will be reviewed before any action is taken.

Purushottam Lagad, the village sarpanch, said the proposal emerged from women in the community. “Since the proposal originated from women, the panchayat urged them (and, if required, their children) to take the lead in identifying offenders,” he told The Times of India.

He added that money collected through the penalties would be used for village development activities.

During the same Gram Sabha meeting, villagers also adopted another resolution focusing on sanitation. Residents have been asked to maintain cleanliness both in their homes and in commercial establishments.

Anyone found violating the rule could face a Rs 100 fine, again based on photographic evidence submitted to the panchayat.

Kolgaon has previously introduced community rules aimed at encouraging positive habits among residents.

Over the past year, the village implemented a practice requiring children to dedicate time to studying at home between 7 pm and 9 pm, during which televisions and mobile phones are not used.

According to villagers involved in the discussion, the decision reflects concerns that references to women are frequently used in derogatory ways during arguments.

Jagtap reportedly emphasised that such expressions reduce women to insults even though girls eventually grow up to become individuals who take on important roles within families and society.