Farmer's insult case: Karnataka govt to issue guidelines to malls, establishments

Bengaluru, July 22 (IANS) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday said that the government will release guidelines for all malls and business establishments regarding attire to prevent incidents which recently took place with a farmer as he was insulted over his attire at a mall in Bengaluru.

“I am working with authorities to issue guidelines to all malls and establishments, whether small or large. This is being done to ensure such incidents do not occur anywhere in the state,” the Deputy Chief Minister said in the Assembly.

He said that the mall, where the incident occurred, has been allowed to continue operating after clearing its arrears.

Opposition leader R. Ashoka suggested that if the guidelines are issued in circular format, management might follow them only temporarily and revert back to their practices.

“Having been a minister myself, I know how it works. The permanent solution is to include such conditions in the licenses and permits, which would serve the purpose,” he recommended.

Ashoka also urged the government to take action against clubs and other establishments that have been allotted land by the government.

Karnataka Economic Adviser Basavaraj Rayareddy supported Ashoka’s suggestion, commenting, “What do the managements of the Bangalore Golf Club and Bengaluru Club think of themselves? They impose rules on shoes and clothes. They are useless people.”

Other members of the house also argued that the government should restrict clubs from framing rules that prohibit traditional attire like dhoti.

Minister for Law H.K. Patil intervened, asking members not to divert the issue towards clubs and bars. “This is a matter of upholding the culture of farmers from rural regions,” he stated.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has sealed the G.T. Mall on Magadi Road in Bengaluru over non-payment of tax arrears and also issued a notice seeking clarification on the incident wherein a farmer was denied entry for wearing a dhoti on July 18.

The BBMP stated that the mall had a due of Rs 2.82 crore of property tax, and including the cesses the total due was Rs 3.55 crore.

The Karnataka government on last Thursday announced in the Assembly that the mall in Bengaluru where a farmer was insulted and not allowed entry will be shut for seven days.

Minister for Urban Development and Town Planning Bhyrathi Suresh had made the announcement on the floor of the House.

The BJP raised the issue reported on Wednesday and demanded strict action against the mall to send a message.

On Tuesday, a septuagenarian farmer Fakirappa from Haveri district, accompanied by his son Nagaraj and wife Mallamma, was denied entry to GT World Mall on Magadi Road, in Bengaluru citing his attire as he was clad in dhoti.

The incident sparked a row as the video of the incident went viral on social media. The management of the mall tendered an apology and the security guard also apologised for the incident.

Fakirappa's family had booked tickets for a Kannada movie and his family was stopped at the entrance despite having the tickets. The security guards maintained that those clad in dhoti were not allowed in the mall.