The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) Club has denied entry to a sitting High Court Judge of the Madras High Court. He was wearing a Dhoti (or veshti), which did not conform to the dress code of the club. This has created a furore in the media here in Tamil Nadu. The same club and similar other clubs have denied entry to persons not following a certain dress code in the past too. But, denial of entry to a Judge has brought issues of culture, Constitution and Brown Sahibs to the fore. The government says it will bring a new law to make such clubs fall in line and begin honouring Indian and Tamil culture. Such a bill will undoubtedly tell these vestiges of the British Empire that they should now stop being flag bearers of some perceived sophistication which, in their view, comes only with Western attire and mannerisms. At the same time, it could be infringement on the rights of a private body by the state. The Madras High Court has correctly refused to intervene in the private matters of a private club, when a PIL was filed in this matter.
A law governing internal dress codes and mores of a club will come given the determination of the legislators, it may still be challenged as invasion of personal freedom. It will be easier for the government to ask all the government servants to terminate their memberships of such clubs and stop attending functions there. This is legally enforceable and possible to implement within a week. With government officers gone, the charm of the club, which thrives on hobnobbing of businessmen and contractors with such bureaucrats, will vanish in no time, regardless of the dress people wear in the hallowed precincts.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/dhoti-row-tn-mulls-law-on-dress-code-in-clubs/article6216754.ece?homepage=true
A law governing internal dress codes and mores of a club will come given the determination of the legislators, it may still be challenged as invasion of personal freedom. It will be easier for the government to ask all the government servants to terminate their memberships of such clubs and stop attending functions there. This is legally enforceable and possible to implement within a week. With government officers gone, the charm of the club, which thrives on hobnobbing of businessmen and contractors with such bureaucrats, will vanish in no time, regardless of the dress people wear in the hallowed precincts.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/dhoti-row-tn-mulls-law-on-dress-code-in-clubs/article6216754.ece?homepage=true
