Now, Leuvas too set up community court

RAJKOT: Ending five years of courtroom battles, 42-year-old Sanjay Patel and his wife Sunita recently buried their differences and started living together. Fed up of frequent quarrels, Sunita had gone away to her parents' house in Rajkot while her two sons stayed with Sanjay in his native Nikava village.
However, the couple approached Khodaldham Samadhan Panch, a community court started by the Leuva Patels in Rajkot three months ago.
"We heard both of them and resolved the issue. Sunita asked her husband to build toilets at home and she demanded some genuine requirements. We asked Sanjay that it was her legitimate needs and you have to fulfill it. Finally, he agreed upon it now they both start living together within the next two weeks. It was not matter of money but ego.'' said Sharmila Bambhaniya, who head the 'Samadhan Panch.
In 2012, Kadva Patels had also started a community court - Umiya Samadhan Panch - in Junagadh.
Bambhaniya, a lawyer herself, said that they have received 45 cases, mostly those concerned to domestic quarreling, and resolved 14 of them.
"The aim of the community court is to resolve the issue amicably in the community and ensure that husband and wife stay together. Also, we want to help save our community people time and money that is wasted in court cases,'' she said.
Sources said that Khodaldham Trust plans to set up community courts in each of the taluka of the state. "There are over 1.43 crore Leuva Patel community members in the state and we will cover all of them in our community court,'' she added.
Leuva Patels are socially and educationally powerful and politically influential in the state. Sources said that once the community courts are set up as per the plan, it will be biggest community court set up in the state.
"Most important part is that community members have faith in us and what we say to them which important to run community court'' she added.