Bangalore: By George! No permission to live bands, dance bars

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jun 21: Discotheque, video parlour and dance bar owners, who have been urging the Congress government to grant permission after 10 pm in the city, were a disappointed lot as the Karnataka Home Minister K J Geoge on Friday made it categorically clear that the Government had no intention of yielding to their demands and pressures.

George, who chaired meeting with the stakeholders of video parlors and discotheques of the City in Vidhana Soudha on Friday, said granting permission to live bands and dance bars was strictly prohibited under the law.

The minister disclosed that the government was well aware of the fact that owners of some bars and restaurants were blatantly indulging in illegal activities and thereby causing a law and order problem by violating the law.

The Government would not permit live band performances as they banned under the law in the State, George said.

He, however, declared that the government would not give any trouble to owners of video parlors, discotheques, bars and restaurants to carry out entertainment activities and business strictly in accordance with the law.

But, he said TV channels and the media have been reporting illegal activities carried out by owners’ bars and restaurants almost everyday.

The police officers have been asked to act only against illegal bars and restaurants holding live bands and obscene dance.

“The owners of some bars and restaurants have given representations seeking permission for live bands after 10 pm as such activities would attract tourists,” he said.

''But we are merely implementing the law and we cannot grant permission,” the Home Minister said.

Being a leading IT/BT city, he said there was a demand to seek permission from the government to perform live bands and dance bars in Bangalore.

“But we cannot issue permission by violating law,” he said.

George told reporters that the government had not prevented women from working in bars and restaurants. But no decision has been taken so far on enforcing dress code, he clarified.

The alleged collection of bribe (mamool) by police, if it was true, was also against the law, he said and steps would be taken to curb the menace.

He said the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would be asked to chair a meeting of the Excise and Home departments to formulate guidelines for recruitment of bar girls in video parlors and discotheques.

The meeting would also evolve guidelines to be followed by owners of bars and restaurants in the State to ensure safety for party animals, the Home Minister said.

The Minister sought suggestions from journalists, lawyers, police, owners of bars and restaurants to evolve guidelines.

Karnataka DG-IGP Lalrokhuma Pachau, Bangalore Police Commissioner B G Jyothiprakash Mirji, Bangalore Advocates Association (Bangalore) President K N Subba Reddy, Karnataka Media Academy chairman M A Ponnappa, officials of the Home Department and senior journalists attended the meeting.