Just today i read an article.
When the Supreme Court repealed the ban on dance bars in Maharashtra, it cited violation of the right to make a living. Just hours after that ruling, city's Orchestra Artistes Association decided to approach the AP High Court, carrying the SC judgement.
But the real questions are... Do we really need dance bars? Is it really an "employment opportunity" for women? And yes, how would you feel if there's a club right next to your home? So, what are the problems we're facing when the shutters open up again. Plenty, actually... according to lawyer Supriya Ghosh.
"The consequences could range from men going broke, families falling apart, domestic violence, school drop-outs, unwanted pregnancies, forced abortions and even deaths," Ghosh warns.
Meanwhile, Indrani Sarkar, founder of NGO 'Ending Violence Against Women', says, "Every profession is respectable. But that's until actual harm comes into the equation. And forget about the employment argument made by establishments. If girls want to get into the business of entertainment, there are a million legimate ways. At the end of the day, it's all about dignity of human life and protecting that."
Meanwhile, sociologist K. Shakuntala has also pointed out a theory, of how dance bars fit the perfect demand, supply economic model, with the country's young right in the middle of it. "Easy money will attract girls from the middle-class and lower strata. As to the teenagers from affluent families, they will have money to enjoy services. If there are dance bars, as a country we'll need to be better prepared with measures protecting everyone involved."
And finally, comes the "emotional" 'bread and butter' angle, about the thousands of jobs lost when dance bars were asked to shut shop. The Orchestra Artistes Association's contention is that the bars will provide space for "artistes".
Ghosh explains: "If it's all about preserving 'art', that can be done through performances that are more legitimate. The entire problem revolves around the setting — there's alcohol, leering men and worse. I'm not too sure if that's the right environment for showcasing art. Dancing at bars can become a livelihood only if it falls strictly into the entertainment category."
"If we allow these bars, then the question should be...at what costs?"
'They're voyeuristic'
Dance bars lead to anti-social activities. Dance bars are almost voyeuristic. It may even encourage prostitution as customers pay for services from girls. We will have a tough time maintaining law and order if such bars are allowed in the city.
- C.V. Anand, Cyberabad Commissioner
Not just dancing
Patrons often turn into clients by taking numbers of the girls down and meeting them outside establishments. Even waiters turn into pimps, often helping men pick the girls or by arranging meet-ups. This is why officials maintain that it just doesn't stop at dancing
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