Maoists' diktat to villagers: Use traditional instruments, modern equipment is banned

The Maoists in an audacious diktat have banned the use of modern music systems from wedding ceremonies in Jharkhand, and asked the locals to only use traditional instruments.

The diktat has sent a wave of fear in Lohardaga district of the state as locals have stopped playing any music at wedding and other social functions.

Another reason for the escalating fear was the Maoists barging into a wedding and burning and breaking the music system. They also fined the hosts of the wedding for not complying with the diktat.

Police in the district slammed the diktat, and said that the Maoists had no authority to force their ideologies on the locals.

"This diktat of the Maoists is illegal and crosses all the limits of law. Nobody can force their ideologies on other people. India is a free country for all castes and religions and everyone has the right to celebrate their weddings and other social festival in whichever they like," said Ram Ghulam Sharma, a police official.

But the people in the district are suffering because of the ban. The business of local musicians and bands-for-hire has been severely hit.

"The diktat is wrong. It will increase unemployment in the area. People cannot celebrate weddings because of this ban. So this needs to be stopped," said Rajesh Mehto, a local.

The Maoists have also significantly increased their presence in tribal and rural regions in the states of Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.