Dance bar owners, staff pin hopes on new govt to be back in business

“The apex court passed a verdict to re-open the dance bars last year, but Patil refused to lift the ban,” said Swati (28), a former bar dancer, who worked at an Andheri (East) bar. Swati is among hundreds of former bar dancers who stay out of a settlement in Malwani. The women feel that the  government is not interested in providing them livelihood. State home minister RR Patil had banned dance bars in 2005.

Meanwhile, the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association, is regularly conducting internal meetings with over 27,000 restaurant owners in Mumbai, keeping in mind the upcoming 2014 elections. “We are by and large looking at the candidates in the eight constituencies. It is not just the party, but the candidates whom we are approaching this upcoming elections. The previous experiences have taught the association a lesson. We are demanding that they should abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court. It should not be made a personal vendetta The association feels that with some members of the ruling party politicians too supporting the lifting of the ban, it is difficult to look at only the party,” AHAR President, Arvind Shetty said.

Prabha Desai, who runs an NGO to rehabilitate bar girls, said that the issue of ban on bars is being treated as a “prestige issue” in the election campaigning. But she is not hopeful on the issue from BJP either. “BJP had opposed the decriminalizing of homosexuality so we are not sure whether they would support reopening of dance bars,” says Desai, adding that the party would not like to be seen with conflicting “moral” views.

The dance bar committee, the nodal affiliated with Indian Association of Hotels And Restaurants, also also seems to be looking forward to the elections. Anil Gaikwad, legal advisor to the committee, said that by continuing the ban the government, it is loosing on a large amount of revenue money. “We have to pay several taxes. The government have increased the licenses of liquor from Rs 3.80 lakh to Rs 5.45 lakh from March, which we suspect will be used for election campaigning,” claimed Gaikwad, adding, “Why can’t the government lift the ban?”

Gaikwad said the Shiv Sena and the BJP had promised them that they would open all entertainment outlets. “We had moved a sessions court charging the government for contempt as they have continued the ban inspite the SC  verdict. The sessions court had asked us to file individual petitions following which we have filed over 100 petitions in the apex court. The  cases will be heared next week, before which we will hold a meeting of the association,” he said.

Bar owners seemed to be more vocal. Ganesh Rai, owner of a Chembur bar, said, “We are not in any mood to support a political party, but we now need change for our business to survive. The state government has levied maximum taxes, and despite the Supreme Court order to lift the ban on  dance bars, no step has been taken. Patil is not above the SC and constitution. Change is necessary and several bar owners have collectively planned to cast their vote for the BJP.

(With Santoshe Gulabkali Mishra)

megha.sood@expressindia.com
santoshee.mishra@expressindia.com