Almost 11 years after the Maharashtra state government banned dance bars, they are now set to reopen after the Supreme Court ordered the state to issue licences from March 15, on condition that certain rules are adhered to.
The bars are likely to reopen in less than a fortnight as the police have issued licences to four bars and 16 more are likely to get permits in a few days. According to a leading daily, 'Indiana' at Tardeo, 'Natraj' at Vidyavihar, 'Uma Palace' in Mulund (West) and 'Padma Palace' at Bhandup have been issued licences so far.
On March 2, the Supreme Court rejected certain conditions like providing live CCTV footage to police on performances in dance bars and asked the Maharashtra government to grant licences to owners within 10 days after they comply with the modified guidelines.
There are in all, 750 dance bars in the state, including 350 in Mumbai. Though the Mumbai police say they have received only 50 applications, bar owners claimed that nearly 150 had their requests pending. 200 bars from across the state are also awaiting permission.
"It would take at least five-six days for the dance bars to start business as a few formalities like getting the Rangabhoomi licence from the cultural affairs ministry and police verification of employees and artistes are yet to be completed," the daily quotes Bharat Thakur, president of the dance bars' association affiliated to Ahar.
When the bars were shut in 2005, about 75,000 women were estimated to be working there and bar owners said the women were earning a legitimate living.
"It's not as if shutting them down stopped trafficking, but reopening them would legitimise it and give traffickers another reason to dupe and abuse women and girls," Suparna Gupta, founder of Aangan Trust which works with victims of trafficking told Reuters.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last week said the government was not in favour of reopening dance bars and will draft legislation to find a way around the Supreme Court ruling.
However, some have countered that bar dancers were forced into prostitution when the dance bars closed down. "What has the state done in the last 10 years for the rehabilitation of the thousands of women who lost their livelihood overnight?" Adarsh Shetty, head of the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association in Mumbai told Reuters.
