Mah Cong takes a different line:welcomes HC verdict on dance bar

Mumbai, Apr 14 (UNI) Taking a different line from that of the Cong-NCP coalition Government, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) spokesman Sanjay Nirupam today welcomed the High Court verdict striking down the ban on dance bars.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Nirupam said the issue concerned livelihood of thousands of women and should be considered on humanitarian grounds.

However, the State Government has decided to move the Supreme Court in the matter and the NCP said the verdict was ''unfortunate'' and the social ramifications of allowing dance bars to continue must be considered.

MPCC chief Prabha Rau had also said last year that there had been no discussion on the issue of dance bar ban within the party and AICC general secretary Margaret Alva had endorsed the stand of the state president.

However Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had maintained that the decision to ban dance bars was a unanimous cabinet decision and all parties had praised it in the Legislature. The announcement, which was made in March last year, was implemented from August 15, 2005.

After Raj Thackeray broke away from the Shiv Sena, Mr Nirupam had said that Raj was welcome in the Congress. The party leadership had taken strong objection to the comments and state unit president Prabha Rau had stated that Mr Nirupam was a new entrant in the Congress and was not aware of party policies.

UNI MR ADG VD KN1922