Friday, May 13 2005 16:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Lending his voice to those opposing dance bars in the State, Mahatma Gandhi's great grandson, Tushar Gandhi today (May 13, 2005) called for closure of dance bars on the ground that they were 'centres of exploitation.'

Tushar, who participated in the protest against dance bars in northwest Mumbai yesterday (May 12, 2005) said, "By deriding dance bars I do not choose to pass any moral judgement on the women. We can't blame the women who are forced there due to poverty and inability to find alternative employment."

"But the dance bars must go, because these are centres of exploitation. The women there are victims of the vicarious pleasures of some men and those justifying existence of dance bars are doing so only to leave some place to let them enjoy such vicarious pleasures.

"Those justifying it on the grounds of personal freedom should remember that you cannot take personal freedom to such unrealistic extent where some are exploited to provide others some form of service", he said.

However, he warned that he was not also in favour of a hasty decision by the Government whereby the women are pushed from the "frying pan into the fire" or rather from not being into prostitution to being in the profession.

"The Government should have a rehabilitation package. They must find ways to ensure a non-exploitative means of employment", he said adding, "Why provide employment that serve the baser instincts of men, to make ends meet."

Activists of the Dance Bar Virodhi Manch had staged demonstration yesterday against the mushrooming dance bars in Borivali area in North Mumbai, claiming that the bars were spoiling the younger generation.