New Delhi: Faced with a strong backlash over the ban of miniskirts in discos in Chandigarh, the administration later in the evening clarified that no such ban has been imposed in the city. Taking a U-turn on the whole issue, Union Territory home secretary Anurag Agarwal said that no such decision has been made and the news was distorted.
“The news item has distorted the whole policy by picking up words and phrases from different part of the policy and have tried to create sensational news,”
said Agarwal.
Earlier in the day, news broke that under the Controlling of Places of Public Amusement policy 2016, the Chandigarh administration will not allow women to don mini skirts in discothèques and pubs.
Also Read: Chandigarh all set to ban short skirts in discos, 'indecency' and 'sedition' top reasons
The report which sparked an outrage said that permission could be denied to discothèque owners to run their business if a Union Territory committee found “exhibition or advertisement of scantily dressed women” and “indecency” or if it was “seditious and likely to excite political discontent”. The policy came into effect on April 1.
However, the policy did not specify ‘scantily dressed women’ or ‘indecency’ and also doesn't elaborate on sedition, the report read.
Following the outbreak, people took to social media to express to ridicule the decision. Many accused the administration of promoting RSS agenda. Many also questioned BJP MP Kirron Kher’s stance on the matter.
Recently, disco owners submitted submitted a representation to the Union Territory adviser, saying they suffered a dip of 40 per cent in business due to the new policy that ordered clubs shut at midnight instead of the earlier closing timings of 1am.
