On the occasion of Holi festival, the New Delhi Bar Association organised an event inside the Patiala House Court which had “scantily-clad women dancers” performing on stage. It was heavily criticized by a group of lawyers who shot a letter to the president and office-bearers of the association terming the event as “shocking”.
A video from the event, held on March 6, turned viral on Twitter where a woman in a red garment is seen dancing on the stage to a hit Hindi movie song.
“This letter is not directed against the dancers themselves, who were doing their job and no disrespect is intended to them. However, an event of this nature being hosted by a bar association is shocking. It is even more appalling that this celebration was held in the premises of Patiala House courts,” read the letter by a group of lawyers who opposed the event.
Terming the event as inappropriate and sexist, the letter stated that such programs lower the Court in the public eye.
“As lawyers, we ought to uphold the Constitution and work towards gender equality in the workplace. These actions lower the majesty of the Court and also amount to various other legal wrongs,” the letter read.
The president of the association Jagdeep Vats has defended the event by saying the program had Bhangra dance (folk dance in Punjab) as well and coined it as a “cultural event”.
