Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Jan11: A delegation of Karnataka legislators led by N.A. Haris today called on Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh and sought his intervention for ensuring uniformity in dress code and other rules followed by various recreation clubs across the country.
Pertinent to mention that after an unusual uproar in Karnataka Legislative Assembly, the Speaker had constituted a House Committee to go into the working of various recreation clubs when it was brought to his notice that several recreation clubs across the country including those in Bengaluru city were allegedly imposing a dress code on their members, which they described as unconstitutional and undemocratic. The members of the Committee visited several places and during their 3-day stay in Delhi, they also examined the functioning of some of the Union Capital’s leading clubs including India International Centre (IIC), India Habitat Centre (IHC), Gymkhana Club and Constitutional Club of India (CCOI).
In a memorandum submitted to Dr Jitendra Singh, the members of the Legislators’ Committee strongly urged that there should be uniform policy throughout India to be followed by every recreation club. The memorandum also noted that even those clubs which had been brought up on government land with government infrastructure practised discrimination in terms of imposing rules, particularly the dress code.
The memorandum strongly requested that the government should immediately issue directions to the recreation clubs asking them to permit the entry of members wearing Indian traditional dress which was forbidden in several of the elite clubs across the country, including in the Union Capital.
Dr Jitendra Singh gave the delegation a patient hearing and said, this was a sensitive issue with conflicting views on the subject. Nevertheless, he assured the members that he would put up their grievance at the appropriate forum.
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