Sonali Phogat had accused Khap panchayat members of not supporting her (File)

New Delhi:

BJP leader Sonali Phogat on Thursday batted for active participation of women in Khap Panchayats or caste-councils, saying she will like to work to see it happen.

Sonali Phogat, who had allegedly thrashed a government official accusing him of making indecent remarks against her, was arrested recently and granted bail by a Hisar court on the same day.

After the incident, Binain Khap, one of the state’s prominent caste-councils, had given the state government an ultimatum to arrest Ms Phogat in a week.

A TikTok star-turned-politician, Ms Phogat had accused Khap panchayat members of not supporting her and being mute spectators instead when a man “indulged” in her “character assassination”.

Speaking to reporters at Adampur in Hisar district on Thursday, Ms Phogat referred to the government official’s alleged indecent remarks against her and the subsequent support he drew from a section of Khap, and said she has concluded that women should have active participation in Khaps’ affairs.

She also said she would also work for connecting women with Khaps, which are controlled by men.

“During the past 25 days of this episode, I have arrived at the conclusion that an (active) role should be there for women in Khap Panchayats and I will play a role in connecting women to Khaps,” she said.

Replying to a question, Ms Phogat appeared to soften her stand towards the Khaps, and said, “I respect Khap Panchayats and do not treat them wrong in this (on one Khap supporting the official). Panchayat is like a mother. The way a mother does not discriminate among her children, Khaps also make impartial decisions.”

She, however, raised questions over the lack of woman’s participation in Khap Panchayats.

“But where are women in them, where are women? Will only men run society? Women constitute half of the population in any society or any country, and any nation or state which does not take its women along, can never make progress,” she said.