NEW DELHI: The southern state of Tamil Nadu passed legislation yesterday upholding the right of men to wear traditional wraparound garments known as “dhotis” in fancy clubs.
A dhoti consists of a piece of white unstitched cloth tied around the waist and is highly popular among men in southern India.
The legislation comes after a judge was recently denied entry to a book launch at the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) because he was wearing a dhoti.
The club only allowed entry to members and guests dressed in trousers, shirts or T-shirts with collars.
The club’s refusal to allow the judge entrance provoked uproar, with critics saying it reeked of British colonial snobbery.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa called the dress code “sartorial despotism”.
The legislation says private clubs that enforce Western dress codes and bar entry of men wearing Indian attire could face fines of Rs25,000 ($400) and their office-bearers could be jailed for up to one year.
The bill also empowers the state to cancel the licences of such clubs, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. “No person, wearing a dhoti reflecting Tamil culture or any other Indian traditional dress, shall be denied entry into any public place,” the bill says.
AFP
