Monday, April 25 2005 20:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jaipur: Demanding that the bar dancers in Maharashtra, who lost their jobs following the Government ban, be rehabilitated immediately, Chairman of National Commission for Women Girija Vyas today (Apr 25, 2005) said Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has assured swift action in this regard.

"I have met the Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilas Rao Deshmukh and Bar Dancers' Association recently and discussed the issue in detail," Vyas said at a press conference in Jaipur.

At least 75,000 women working in bars as dancers were rendered jobless by the Maharashtra Government's unilateral decision, she said adding before taking such an extreme step, the State Government should have held a dialogue with the Dance Bar Association.

"The Chief Minister has assured me of rehabilitating them at the earliest," Vyas said.

When asked about the Commission's opinion on whether dance bars should run, Vyas refused to be drawn into a controversy saying, "It is debatable...I have no comment on it...I am more worried about their rehabilitation as most of them are earning livelihood of members of families."

"Whether dancing in bar was legitimate or illegitimate, it was to be discussed separately on other fora," she added.

When reminded that Congress MP Sunil Dutt had favoured running of dance bars, Vyas said "it is his (Dutt's) opinion."

"I can say there should be no vulgarity at any level whether it is modelling or any other profession being adopted by women in the society," Vyas said.

Vyas said she had met many such woman and many of them were skilled and moderately educated women, and the State Government in Maharashtra should rehabilitate them accordingly.