Is It Crime For Women To Consume Alcohol In Chennai? Netizens Slam Tamil News Channels For Moral Policing

A few Tamil channels have come under attack from netizens for singling out women who were at a pub beyond the permissible closing time of 11:30 pm on a Sunday.

According to a report in The News Minute, a pub in Turn Bulls Road violated the imposed curfew by remaining operational beyond midnight. A few Tamil news channels including Thanthi TV and Polimer targeted the women with the news coverage, filled with sexist comments about their attire.

The reports claimed that the women's interactions with men at the bar were inappropriate and of a sexual nature. Additionally, the footage from the pub repeatedly focussed on the women, scrutinizing their clothing and attempting to capture close-up shots of their faces, even after being requested not to do so, the TNM report added.

"Upon receiving a complaint at around midnight, we reached the pub. They didn't open the door for ten minutes. Later the place was cleared and a report was filed in the J1 Saidapet police station," the website quoted a police official as saying about the incident.

விடிய விடிய சரக்கு பார்ட்டி.. எண்ட்ரி கொடுத்த காவலர்கள்.. அரைகுறை ஆடையில் ஓட்டம் பிடித்த பெண்கள் #chennai #pub #drunken pic.twitter.com/BLPuTcS78i

— சிலம்புச்செல்வி ராஜ்குமார் (@Silambuselviraj) November 20, 2023

According to the cops, Sun TV, Jaya TV, Thanthi TV and other channels were present even before they arrived at the spot for the inspection.

The reports by the news channels apparently projected as if the women coming to bar as a crime. This has not gone well with the netizens.

Reacting to the incident, singer Chinmayi, who is vocal about issues related to women, said on X: Thanthi TV's employees going after women doing nothing except - have some alcohol - as if they were busting some group of rapists showcases everything that is wrong with society today.

The problem is that the pub was open beyond specified hours - but the owner of the pub, nor the name of the pub disclosed. Instead they chase the women instead.

The journalists of Thanthi TV who shot this video need to be identified and their photos shown to the world.

The hashtags - Chennai Pub Drunken kinda proves what sort of leadership assigns reporters to such harassment of women.

There was no such harassment of a VERY DRUNK Mansoor Ali Khan when he has the audacity to meet the Press and rant. But look at how they go after women.

Women are unsafe here in Tamilnadu. Dot."

Another user slammed the TV channel and said, "Media like @ThanthiTV neither have moral compass nor integrity. Pub was open beyond scheduled time, organisers doesn't care about closing time, Police wasn't aware early but Thanthi TV chose to defame women by running behind them even those women were shouting not to take their photos, raising TRP by keeping click bait thumbnail.

No difference than Godi media. Thanthi TV should apologise for this behaviour and should maintain a basic level of accountability."

The third user stated, "no morals worst journalism. its the organisers fault for exceeding the time limit, why are you chasing people who are trying to cover their faces and go away? why couldn't you show the organizer or the name of the place?"

Another netizen slammed the Tamil news channel for not questioning the pub for violating the rule instead targeted the women who had come to the bar.

The user said, "Shame on you Thanthi TV! Rather than shaming the administration and law enforcement, you are shaming those who are there! Grow up and if you have spine, question the people who are at fault! Isnt it moral policing you are doing?!"