To Review 'Moral Standards', Chandigarh Babus To Get Best Seats At Venues

Chandigarh: For popular Bollywood singer Arijit Singh's performance in Chandigarh on Saturday, the best seats have been reserved for the city's top bureaucrats, among them Home Secretary Anurag Agarwal, on whom fell the onus of defending a new policy for bars and discotheques in the city drafted by the babus, and arguably, for the babus.

A team of bureaucrats will now monitor places of entertainment and amusement in Chandigarh under the new policy, and every establishment covered must reserve two seats "in the highest class of accommodation" for them.

From these seats they will ensure that no performance "lowers the moral standard" of viewers. And, be warned, the committee shall also spot and report those who ridicule the new policy.

In force since April 1, the new rules hand officials - members of committees set up for the purpose - sweeping powers to cancel or deny licences if they think an establishment "excites political discontent", is "seditious", "indecent" or exhibits or advertises scantily dressed women." What constitutes a "scantily dressed woman" is not explained, but it is clearly left to the discretion of the "monitoring committee."

After much outrage, Mr Agarwal held a press conference today and denied reports that the new policy prescribes a dress code - no short skirts, media reports had said - or are an attempt at "moral policing."

He also said that the new policy was framed on the orders of the High Court to regulate such establishments and promised to consider complaints that the government has received.

The list of don'ts is long, but the committee can add to the rules if it feels it is necessary at any time.

The new rules were sprung upon the city without a consultation or feedback with citizens and owners of club and bars, say several angry people in Chandigarh, pointing out that even the name - "Controlling of Places of Public Amusement, 2016" - suggests overbearing control of the bureaucracy.