Nightlife takes a hit in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: The extended weekend, with Monday being a holiday for Ganesha festival, would have been the ideal one for the city’s burgeoning young crowd to unwind.

But they are being cautious and don’t want to get into any pub in the city. “We don’t want to get into any trouble,” is the common reaction one hears from across the party crowd. This is because the police are carrying out intense drives against drug use by raiding pubs, discos and live music joints over the last few days and have banned loud music at over hundred pubs across the city.

Many young professionals and students said that they prefer to visit friends’ homes or make plans to stay at home and celebrate the festival. “Our parents will be too happy to spend the weekend with us. Why get into unnecessary trouble,” said Suhas, an IT professional.   

City Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao has made it clear that his men will target any shady place and warned that no one will be treated like a VIP if caught at the raided place.

Partygoers said that they don’t know where to go as the police are coming down heavily against licence violations and noise levels at night joints. “We don’t do drugs. We love to spend weekends having a good drink and food with our group. We slog the whole week and during the weekend, we party to release stress,” a youngster, who wished not to be identified, said.

Naina is inviting all her friends to her flat for a get-together. “I am not stepping out, until all these things settle down,” she said.

“We have planned a trip for five days starting tomorrow. We are going out of the city and hope that everything calms down by the next weekend,” Prahlad said.

Central Crime Branch (CCB) sources said that the police will continue search operations and raids this weekend too. “If youngsters are going to shady places then they should be ready to face the consequences,” they warned.

Lehar Singh, a BJP MLC, said that nightlife is welcome because of the global image of Bengaluru as IT-BT capital. “But there will be zero tolerance for drugs. If the government cannot control the drug menace, it is going to be a strict no to night life too. Hotels and pub owners and party organisers should be held responsible if there is any use of drugs, and if found guilty, they should be punished stringently,” he said.

Those who want to enjoy nightlife should cooperate with the police and other regulatory authorities instead of raising a hue and cry, Mr Singh said.