MUMBAI: The spectacle of scantily dressed cheeerleaders gyrating at IPL cricket contests has outraged some politicians with Maharashtra government saying "vulgar" shows will not be permitted at the Mumbai match on Thursday.
The cheergirls, who have been specially flown in in from the US, have been dubbed as "worse than bar dancers" who were making a "mockery of cricket".
Minister of state for Home Siddharam Mhetre described the shows by the young cheerleaders with bulging breasts and gyrating bellies at the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches as "absolutely obscene".
"The organisers will have to stop the vulgar display by the cheerleaders ," Mhetre said. Mumbai Indians clash with Deccan Chargers at Navi Mumbai on April 27.
Controversy broke after the shows by the cheerleaders was raised in the Maharashtra Legislative Council by state BJP president Nitin Gadkari, who said the dance was vulgar and an and not fit to be seen by Indian families.
Describing the performance as an "indecent dance", Actor-turned-politician Shatrugan Sinha said it is "difficult to find cricket in these matches" and it is making a mockery of the sport. CPI leader D Raja said one can't expect "morality or ethics" in a commercialised IPL environment.
But BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla saw nothing wrong in the cheergirls adding glitz to a racy game of cricket. "There is no harm if they dance when a boundary or a six is hit since it is all entertainment," he said.
Shukla had the support of IPL Chief Lalit Modi, who said the cricket body has broken no rules and rejected criticism of the shows by the cheergirls wearing skimpy attire.
Bollywood star Sharukh Khan,the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders,did not find anything vulgar about cheerleaders. The cheergirls on their part said they were only doing their job.
