Chandigarh: A policy that reeks of moral policing has left the Chandigarh administration red-faced. The policy said that women wearing “indecent dresses” would be banned from places of amusement. Facing a lot of flak on social and conventional media for the retrograde policy, the UT administration was quick to defend itself.
The new policy, which came into effect from April 1, has curtailed bar timings till midnight. The policy states that the committee can deny permission for running a bar or discotheque if the operation of business is considered to be “indecent or of scurrilous character”.
Permission can also be denied if the business contains “offensive reference to personalities”, “seditious or likely to excite political discontent”. What kind of seditious activities do the bureaucrats expect in bars and discotheques is what amused people are asking.
Those opposing the “Controlling of Places of Public Amusement, 2016” policy say it smacks of moral policing while threatening to strangulate the city’s nightlife.
They say that now it will be babus deciding what dress is “indecent” and whether a place of amusement is of a “scurrilous” character. It is being interpreted that the girls would no longer be able to enjoy drinks at bars and discotheques if they are in minis. The policy fails to define what the administration deems as “indecency” or “scantily-clad women”.
Meanwhile, Chandigarh home secretary Anurag Aggarwal has said that there is no attempt at moral policing and no dress code has been prescribed for anyone. He said that women can wear anything as long as it is within the law of this country.
