Varsha Kale, the president of the Bharatiya Bar Girl’s Union (BBGU), said the Supreme Court judgment on dance bars has reignited hope that dance bars would be reopened across state and dancers would come out of a chakravyuh (spiral).
Others from the profession said that the verdict would weed out obscenity and exploitation at the bars.
Kale, who has been the face of bar dancers, told DNA, “Ever since the state shut down dance bars, nearly 70,000 bar dancers were thrown out of their jobs. Some worked as waitresses, others were forced into prostitution or faced poverty.
“There have been orders in the past… but looking at the judgment this time, we have hope that dance bars will reopen,” Kale said.
Welcoming the ban on throwing of notes at dancers, Kale said dancers should be able to know how much they earn here in after
Nonetheless, it will take a long time for dance bars to reopen, she said. “Bar owners will have to approach the government for permits and since it is an election year, the government will take more time deciding on permits.”
Vijaya Rahatkar, chairperson of Maharashtra State Women’s Commission, said though dance bars have been allowed to operate, the preconditions imposed by the state remain.
“Obscenity would not have any place in dance bars. Women would not be exploited. Money cannot be thrown. Time restrictions would be there. These things have been upheld by the court,” said Rahatkar.
Opposition NCP MLC Vidya Chavan said: ‘When we visited some bars, we saw minor girls being exploited. Some were pushed into prostitution. We can’t do anything on court order but we can look to making a law.’
