Maha govt is not in favour of reopening dance bars: Fadnavis

Nagpur: Stating that the state government is not in favour of reopening of dance bars, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis on Wednesday told the Legislative Assembly that his government is framing new set of rules for these establishments. The 18 new rules for dance bars include disallowance of showering of currency notes on bar dancers and also a CCTV cover for every dance bar with the feed available at the police control room would be compulsory.

Fadnavis also told the Assembly that there was a drastic drop in the crime rate in the state. All the members of the Opposition Congress and NCP staged a walkout earlier today protesting against the government's failure of waiving farm loan and Fadnavis addressed the Assembly facing virtually empty benches.

Replying to the 'last week resolution', Fadanvis said the government was seeking state Advocate General's opinion in the issue of dance bars to appeal in the apex court. In October this year, the Supreme Court had stayed the operation of 2014 amendment in the Maharashtra Police Act that had banned dance performances at bars and some other places, paving the way for reopening of dance bars across the state. "A new set of 18 rules and regulations are being framed by the state to curb dance shows and also to keep a tight vigil on activities during the dance shows," he said.

"The entire show will be filmed on CCTV and the nearest police station will be given live feed to check any irregularities. Safe distance has to be maintained by the audience and no showering of currency notes on dancers," he said. Fadnavis also told the House that the crime rate has dropped to some extent.

"There has been a drop in one year period of BJP-Shiv Sena government as compared to what it was during the erstwhile Congress-NCP rule. There has been a significant rise in rate of conviction, which is 48 per cent now, whereas the previously it was just nine per cent," he said.

The Chief Minister admitted that due to enactment of new law after the gangrape and murder case in the national capital, awareness among women on the issue has grown and they are fearlessly coming forward to lodge complaints about sexual abuses. All police stations were working online and from January 1 and surprise checks would be carried out to ascertain whether it was working as per this decision or not.

Talking about on the anti-Naxal operation front, he said the state was doing well. He complimented the C60 battalion of Gadchiroli police and CRPF for doing "excellent work" in curbing naxal menace. The number of fatalities of security persons during operations has also dropped. "Only two security personnel were killed in 2015 in the state and as many as 51 hardcore Naxals surrendered in the Gadchiroli distinct.

They were carrying rewards from Rs two lakh to Rs 10 lakh," Fadnavis said. The Chief Minister ridiculed Opposition's demand for his resignation. "Several leaders from the Opposition facing various cases fear that they would be arrested and therefore creating hurdles in the Assembly," he said.