Chandigarh, April 12
The Sangwan community's honour is at stake and the khap has stepped in yet again.

Only this time, it's no runaway couple who has decided to marry within the same gotra, as is usually the case. In the line of fire this time is an entertainment channel for a serial it has been airing for the past many months. Claiming that the serial is anti-women and encourages discrimination against the girl-child, the president of the Sangwan khap, Zorawar Singh Sangwan, on behalf of the Sangwan khap, has shot off a letter to the government top brass. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Information and Broadcasting minister Ambika Soni and Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda all have been urged to intervene and pull the show off air with immediate effect.

The letter says the UPA government, which is pushing a women's reservation Bill, should act immediately, failing which the Sangwan khap will be compelled to initiate stern measures.

Stating that the serial is "insulting" to the Jats spread over Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, the letter says the serial particularly showed the Sangwan gotra in very poor light.

It states that though the directors of the serial claim that the characters are imaginary and bear no resemblance to any particular caste, community or area, the entire story revolves around a family of the Sangwan gotra.

The objectionable part is that women in the family are shown being subjected to torture.

It goes on to add that there is simmering resentment among the Jats in general and the Sangwan gotra in particular spread all over the region against the manner in which their culture is being painted and presented.

"We heard of the serial only a few days back and monitored the serial being aired for a week. Notwithstanding the claims of the directors that they are protesting against the atrocities on women through this serial, we are convinced that the whole concept is very derogatory.

"Last evening, the working committee of the Sangwan khap met and decided that the government must step in to protect our honour.

" If they fail us, we will be forced to resort to other ways," Sangwan said.

The khap has decided that a delegation of the working committee of the Sangwan khap will meet the leaders individually to seek action against the channel.