History of Origin of Some Clans in India/Jat From Jutland/Imparting of Justice
History of Origin of Some Clans in India
(with special Reference to Jats)
By Mangal Sen Jindal (1992)
Publisher - Sarup & Sons, 4378/4B, Ansari Road, Darya Ganj, New Delhi-110002, ISBN 81-85431-08-6
| The text of this chapter has been converted into Wiki format by Laxman Burdak |
Chapter 1: Jat From Jutland
Imparting of Justice
Well known Panchayat system (assembly of five dignitaries of the village) is an institution in Jat tribe as old as the tribe itself and remained prevalent up to the time, the Panchayat the Act was passed. Now as per the Act, the Pradhan (President) is elected by vote. Prior to it the head Panch was nominated unanimously and generally he used to be the eldest member of the
History of Origin of Some Clans in India:End of p.70
tribe in that village and was respected like a king, not by force but voluntarily. four other persons junior to him were also nominated in the same manner.
The moral of the Panch was undisputedly high as they could not favour even their own sons, relatives, friends or kith or kin. The judgment passed by them orally was always judicious and had more force than a written court judgment. The parties always obeyed the judgment although it is bound to be against one of them. No appeal or revision could be sought against the judgment once pronounced by the Punchayat. Of course every party had his full say to prove his cast. Even witnesses were heard. The system had a special privilege in coming to a correct judgment because every one in the village including the Panch were well acquainted with the nature, facts and circumstances or the disputes between the parties thereto. This privilege lacks in court judgment because the court has no personal knowledge about the facts of the dispute. Even the Advocates plead their case on hearsay. The judgments delivered therefore become wrong in several cases.
Whenever a question covering common interest of the villagers arose, the Panchayat came in session and summoned all the residents of the village or at least the heads of the families and after discussion an award of line of action was arrived at by all of them. Then as a promise to stick to the award, everyone present poured little salt in water contained in a jug. It was believed that in case anyone betrayed the promise, his body will decay or melt on the earth as salt has melted away in the pot and lost its existence.
In fact by promulgation of Panchayat Act, the integrity of Panchayat itself and people's belief in the Panchayats has been lost. The elections of a Panch in a village has resulted in party politics and thereby destroying the peace of the village folk. The oneness of the villagers irrespective of their caste and creed, which used to be the specialty of all the villages of India has come to an end. Because of party politics, different groups have sprung up in every village which has resulted differences amongst them and has led to every day quarrels even on petty
History of Origin of Some Clans in India:End of p.71
matters and none commands voluntary respect to intervene.
This has led to huge litigation amongst the villagers whereby
they have to spend major part of their earnings in the courts.