Mumbai: The Maharashtra government will bring a comprehensive new legislation to stopping dance bars from reopening in the Budget Session, commencing today.
An all-party meeting would be convened to discuss the bill and it would be tabled for discussion and passage in the state Assembly and Council in the same week.
"We will bring in a firm law in this Budget Session that would stop the dance bars from being reopened in the state. In the past, when we were in Opposition, we had twice supported Congress and NCP to pass the Bill (in this regard). Today, when we are trying to earnestly do something, the Opposition is playing politics on the issue," Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday.
The announcement comes in the wake of Supreme Court's order last week asking the state government to grant licences to dance bar owners within ten days after they comply with modified guidelines.
"We are inclined to modify the conditions of installation of CCTV cameras and providing the live footage to the police. We direct that the CCTV cameras shall be installed at the entrance only and not at the restaurant or performance areas," the Supreme Court had said.
Stating that government cannot permit obscenity, Fadnavis had last week said that they would approach the apex court with an alternative. He had added that his government was also mulling a suitable legislation in the state Legislature on the issue.
Hitting back at the Opposition for demanding a white paper on the MoUs signed by the state government during last month's 'Make in India' week held in Mumbai, Fadnavis said all details pertaining to these deals would be put up online.
"We have faced a lot of criticism from the Opposition on this issue. I want to clearly tell them that we have formed a task force to keep a tab on each and every MoU signed during the week. We will also put the details of all the MoUs and their progress online which will then be easily accessible to all without filing RTI queries," he said.
Maharashtra government had attracted around Rs 8 lakh crore worth investment commitments during the 'Make In India' week.
With PTI Inputs
