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Patil's security staff manhandle complainant
Chandigarh, October 1 The couple was taken out from the darbar by Patil's security staff. The staff then started pushing Om Prakash from the stairs and manhandled him. They refused to listen to him and took him towards committee room, situated on the first floor of the UT Secretariat. The security staff "punched" him and tried to lock up Om Prakash inside the room. However, his wife raised the alarm and the media, which was there to cover the proceedings of the public darbar, came to his rescue. Om Prakash said his 13-year-old son had gone missing on June 16 and they had informed the Sector 31 police station. However, the next day his son returned and told him that two persons had kidnapped him and he somehow managed to escape from their clutches. He said instead of investigating the kidnapping case, an ASI posted at the Sector 31 police station got his signatures on a piece of paper, which had something written on it in Punjabi. Later, he came to know that
the
He said today when he questioned the working of UT police officials, Patil told him that he could not talk like this about the officers. Patil's security staff took him and his wife out of the room. Later, the security staff manhandled him, he alleged. Director, Public Relations, UT, MM Sabharwal denied that the Administrator's security staff had manhandled the complainant. He said the UT police had already dealt with Om Prakash's complaint and there was no further need to investigate the matter.
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Public darbar losing sheen
Chandigarh, October 1 On July 16 this year, the UT Administration had cancelled a public darbar as only five complainants had turned up. According to sources, people are losing interest "owing to uncertainty over holding of the darbar". Moreover, many complainants, who attended the public darbar in the past, were not satisfied. There have been instances where the Administrator issued directions to officials, which were not followed. Patil assumed office as the Punjab Governor-cum-UT Administrator on January 22, 2010. Statistics reveal that during the 32- month tenure as the UT Administrator, according to precedent, there should have been 65 public hearing sessions till date. However, Patil has managed to hold only 30 sessions so far, which works out to less than one session a month. UT former Administrator SF Rodrigues had initiated this ritual and the number of complainants was much higher in the sessions held by him. On March 19 this year,
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It's a futile exercise, say residents
Chandigarh, October 1 Swaran Singh Kamboj, president of the UT Cadre Educational Employees Union, said they had come to meet Patil regarding their demands for promotion of UT cadre teachers and sending back deputationist teachers of Punjab and Haryana to their parent states. However, when they raised their demand for promotion of teachers, Patil said "teacher to teacher hota hai". When they raised the issue of overstay by deputationists, Patil said "it is for us to decide what to do", Kamboj said. Kamboj alleged that today’s meeting with Patil had proved that citizens of Chandigarh had no say in their own city. He added that now they would file a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the issue of deputationists. A number of Kashmiri migrants, who attended the public darbar, were also not happy with today’s hearing session. Bharat Bhushan Suri, president of the Kashmiri Migrants Association, said they had come with a demand for the rehabilitation Kashimiri migrants. However, the Administrator had no time for them, as he did not hear their grievances properly. Ajay Pandita, another member of the association, said there were around 62 families of Kashmiri migrants, of which 12 families were given flats and later booths by the UT Administration. However, now the Administration was not considering the demands of the remaining families. He alleged that Patil did not listen to them properly today and told them that there was no policy for the rehabilitation of Kashimiri migrants. Another complainant, Shweta Bhatia (name changed), a resident of Rohtak, said she had come to meet Patil as her husband, who was posted in a Central Government department in Chandigarh and stayed in the city, was demanding dowry from her parents and was not allowing her to enter her in-laws' house. She said today she sought help from UT Administrator for her "protection and financial rights", but the Administrator told her to approach the court.
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Woman constable molested
Chandigarh, October 1 The police has arrested the accused, identified as Mahinder, a mechanic, on charges of eve-teasing and outraging the modesty of the policewoman. A case has been registered at the Sector 11 police station. The accused will be produced in court tomorrow. Under the police drive, three women in plainclothes were deputed on a CTU bus to catch eve-teasers today. The woman constable boarded the CTU bus at the Sector 17 bus stop. The accused, who was on the bus, made obscene gestures at her. He continued to stare at her and passed comments till the last stop of the CTU bus near the new OPD at the PGI. A colleague of the policewoman, who was also in plainclothes, videographed the act while the accused was making obscene gestures. Minutes after they got down from the bus, the constable nabbed the accused and called her seniors. Investigation revealed that the accused, Mahinder, is married. He is a resident of Sector 24. The video-recording has been submitted at the Sector 11 police station, which will be produced as evidence in court. Meanwhile, the Chandigarh police has constituted three teams, comprising policewomen and male constables, and supervised by Sub-Inspector and Inspector-level officers, in three police divisions of the Chandigarh police for tackling the eve-teasing menace. During the police drive, at least 24 youths have been booked or arrested for teasing and passing obscene remarks at girls in the city during the past fortnight. The drive gathered steam after the attack on a college student by three eve-teasers in Sector 42 on September 19. In yet another case registered today, the police arrested Ram, a resident of Sector 18, for passing dirty comments at girls. The accused was later bailed out.
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Girls share experiences with SSP
Amit Sharma Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 1 Narrating an incident, one of the students revealed that a rickshaw puller tease girls near the college gate. The student mentioned that every time she crosses from near the rickshaw stand, the rickshaw puller pass comments on her. Another student revealing her experience stated that she along with her friend while returning from tuitions was once trapped in a secluded area in Sector 19 when boys in a car forcefully tried to pull them in the car. She mentioned that as they didn’t have a mobile phone, they had no other option but to beg the boys to leave them alone. It was after the boys left that they managed to reach home safely. The interaction witnessed participation from college teachers also, who shared their experiences of eve-teasing. One of the college teachers while sharing her experiences of witnessing an eve-teasing case said once she along with her husband was returning after watching a late night movie show from the DT Mall when two girls driving on a two-wheeler were being teased by boys on the deserted road leading to the city from the IT Park. “We decided to help the girls and continuously honked the horn of the car to scare the boys, following which they left. Surprisingly, we could not find any PCR vehicle on our way back, as we thought to complain about the issue and get the culprits nabbed,” the teacher said. UT SSP Naunihal Singh while addressing the gathering mentioned that they should avoid deserted roads and if caught in some extreme situation should raise an alarm and fight back. Police officials also encouraged the students to take help of technology and record incidents of eve-teasing on their mobile, so that the police could do their bid. The SSP asked the girl students to act on intuition and with intelligence to overcome the fear of eve-teasing.
Night patroling ‘Inform police’
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Eve-teasing menace: Police to sensitise boys
Chandigarh, October 1 The police that is going across all girls’ colleges to encourage them to fight back and report the incidents of eve-teasing has another innovative idea to tackle the menace. UT SSP Naunihal Singh said the boys’ colleges were the next target where they would be made aware of how serious the crime of eve-teasing is. “This idea was derived from a series of interaction we had with the girls, who mentioned that the boys should also be made aware about the consequences of eve-teasing,” said the SSP. Telling about the consequences of eve-teasing, the SSP told the girl students that if a boy is booked under sections of the IPC for eve-teasing, it can spoil his future, as his case would be under trial and he could not fly abroad or even apply for a government job. The police official said the students would be taught about the consequences of eve-teasing with examples, so that the boys gauge the intensity of the crime and learn the lesson. “The boys would also be sensitised about the sections of the IPC under which they can get booked for eve-teasing,” the official stated. The SSP further added that they had been successful to some extent in spreading the message to fight for the dignity and rights of women and in response to which the police has received over 30 calls of eve-teasing and around 15 cases have been registered in various police stations of the city.
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Girl students complain against college guard
Chandigarh, October 1 The police then swung into action and rounded up the employee, who has been deputed for regulating vehicles and guards the parking lot. He was later let off with a warning. The girls complained that the guard, identified as Pawan, stare them and also pass comments at them. A PCR van reached the spot and interrogated the guard who denied the allegations. Following the intervention of the college principal and in the absence of a written complaint by the girls, no police case was registered and the guard was issued
a warning. “The girls did complain of the parking employee who has been shifted from his duty. He has been warned of termination of service if we receive another complaint against him,” said Meera Modi, principal of Dev Samaj College, Sector 45.
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Property tax: MC gets lukewarm response from residents
Panchkula, October 1 It was recently when the authorities decided to levy property tax on all those who own a property in Panchkula. As per the new policy, the collector rates will also be multiplied, which are the highest in Panchkula. It was decided that the tax would be levied with effect from April, 2010. Though for the period after April 2012, the tax would be levied as per the collector rates for the previous two years, the residents have been given the 15-day time to submit their options of paying arrears as per the old policy or new policy. The owners of the commercial property have paid the tax for the previous two years that are 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 as per the old policy. But the owners of the residential plots are not coming forward, following which we will have to send them the bill of the tax as per the new policy after the intimation period of 15 days gets over, said an official of the MC. When contacted, executive officer (EO) of the MC, OP Sehag, said, “In fact people should understand that the tax policy would benefit more than 75 per cent of those who own a property in Panchkula district. Facilities would be provided accordingly. And even, otherwise, I feel that the new tax policy is quite less. It is simple, too. The authorities are doing injustice with the common man. One can’t pay such a high tax,” said Raj Binder Singh, a resident of Sector 4, Panchkula. He further added, “There would be a hike in the collector rates every year, which means a hike in the tax.” The residents of Sectors 6, 7, 8, 9 and Mansa Devi Complex will have to pay the maximum tax, as the collector rates are the highest in the area that is Rs 50,000 per sq meter. “The tax rates would differ in each sector as per the size of the plot and the collector rates applicable. At least some relief should be given to the house owners. It would be quite difficult to pay such a high property tax,” said BB Singhal, a resident of Sector 10, Panchkula.
Highlights * Property tax at Rs 1 per sq yard on residential houses (self occupied) with plot sizes up to 250 sq yards and flat sizes up to 500 sq ft (self occupied) shall be charged. *
For other sizes of plot area of more than 250 sq yard (residential, commercial, industrial and others), methodology of tax has been fixed on the basis of covered area of plot x formula x collector rate. *
House tax for owner of plot sizes up to 250 sq yards: Rs 1 per square yard *
House tax for owner of plot sizes above 250 sq yards: i) Eg: An area with collector rate of Rs 48,000. Property tax to be paid by 1 kanal house owner (self occupied): 500 sq yardsX0.00075X 48,000 + fire and service tax = approx. Rs 20,000 per annum. ii) Eg: Property tax to be paid the tax rate of 2 kanal bungalow will be double the tax of one kanal. iii) The tax would be around Rs 13,000 per annum (48,000 X 0.00075 X 350 + other taxes) for a 14 marla plot. iv) Rate would depend accordingly if it includes a rented accommodation too.
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SHO reprimanded for lackadaisical approach
Aneesha Sareen Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 1 Inspector Bhupinder Singh, the SHO, was pulled up by the UT SSP for failing to arrest the three accused and not opposing the anticipatory bail plea of one of the accused in court. The girl had complained to the police that she was being threatened by the accused, who are roaming free, and thus is living under constant scare ever since the case was registered on her complaint. The inspector was warned of suspension if he fails to pull up his socks. All three accused in the case are still absconding ever since the police added fresh sections of bid to kidnap against them in the case. Accused Lakhbir Singh took advantage of the leniency of the UT police and managed to get anticipatory bail from court in the case on September 29, as the police never opposed his bail plea. Lakhbir had been absconding in an incident of thrashing and making an attempt to kidnap a college student, Komal Kohli. He obtained a bail on September 29 before joining the investigation as directed on October 5 at the Sector 36 police station. Komal, a student of Government College, Sector 42, was assaulted and an attempt was made to kidnap her by the three youths a fortnight ago. Lakhbir and his two associates, Khushwinder and Karandeep Singh, have been absconding after the fresh charges of attempt to kidnap were added in the FIR against them on September 23. Lakhbir is the son of the owner of a prominent shop in the city. Police sources revealed that the SHO has been soft on the accused, as one of them is related to a senior police officer, who is pressurising the SHO to not arrest the accused. The victim’s family had alleged that the police lacked sincere efforts while tracing the three accused and it is because of this that the accused could obtain anticipatory bail. The SHO was thus summoned to the police headquarters by the UT SSP today and warned of a suspension if he fails to act swiftly and arrest the accused who are absconding so far in the case.
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Just another day for old-age home inmates
Hina Rohtaki Tribune News Service
Panchkula, October 1
On this special day for the senior citizens, the inmates of the old age home spent looking outside the windows. “What is the occasion today? Any festival? We don’t know,” was the innocent reply of Nirmal Kanta, an elderly woman, when she was asked whether she knows what is special about today. “All days are same for us. Even today, it was just any other day. We are never made to feel that there is something special,” said another woman in a quivering voice. “It was in the afternoon when some children came to greet us. I asked them what the occasion is. They told me it was a day for us, it was World Senior Citizens’ Day,” said Vinod Kumar. Kumar, now 62 years of age, was once an executive engineer in the Horticulture Department, New Delhi. He has been staying in the old age home ever since his retirement two years ago. Tall claims of the Administration regarding celebrating the World Senior Citizens’ Day fall flat when a visit to the old-age home revealed that the inmates are staying in rooms with damp walls. Messy surrounding was another quality of the old-age home, where senior citizens are spending the remaining days of their life. “We can’t say anything to the authorities. They have given us a place to stay. We have to bear with the living conditions given to us. It is just a government ritual,” said 68-year-old man on the condition of anonymity. “We celebrate all festivals together,” said an official of the old-age home.
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Patil honours senior citizens
Chandigarh, October 1 The senior citizens of the city were also awarded by the Punjab Governor and Administrator UT, Shivraj V Patil. In his address to the gathering, Patil shared his experience and said seniors are a major player in a family system. “The senior citizens are regarded as the custodian of age old wisdom, tradition, culture of heritage, they hold higher place in our family and society. We learn a lot from them,” said Patil. “We are successfully making efforts to provide them with best of facilities. We are taking new steps to improve their stature. The present facilities will be upgraded to provide them more comfort. Physiotherapy, acupressure, reiki, yoga centres and computer training centres will come up to provide free services to all senior citizens,” said Patil.
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Many ATMs in Panchkula sans security
Panchkula, October 1
Most of the ATM kiosks of private and nationalised banks in Sectors 8, 15, 11, 12A and Mansa Devi Complex do not have any security guard. The Panchkula police had issued notices to banks telling them that it is mandatory to deploy a security guard and get CCTV cameras installed at all ATM counters. “Strict action would be taken against the authorities if they violate rules,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Parul Kush. Meanwhile, the Panchkula police got the CCTV camera footage that shows a person, in mid thirties and wearing a helmet, is pasting leaves on the camera lens. The police said the person seems to be from a well-off family and that he wore a blue shirt. “We will be going through the footage of the entire week to see who all have visited the ATM,” said Station House Officer of the Sector 14 police station, ACP Adrashdeep Singh. It was in the wee hours yesterday when some miscreants cut the ATM cash box with a gas cutter and stole around Rs 8.31 lakh. They pasted leaves on the lens of the CCTV cameras installed in the ATM room and put a board stating ‘ATM not in service’ to ensure that no one enters the room. “We feel quite unsafe. While withdrawing money from an ATM, anyone can forcibly enter and rob us,” said Binny Sharma, a resident of Sector 8, Panchkula. “The situation is all the more worse at night time. I feel scare. Anyone can come inside and can snatch the money. We will feel a bit safe if a security guard is there,” said Vishesh Verma, a resident of Sector 11, Panchkula.
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SHOs told to keep strict vigil in Mohali
Mohali, October 1 The police has also conducted a survey of guarded and unguarded ATM counters in the area. The police told all banks of the city to provide round-the-clock security at their ATM counters immediately. DSP (City 1) Rajinder Singh Sohal said the police has written communiqués to all branches of banks, having ATM counters in the area, to provide guards (if not having) at their counters immediately. “Apart from that, I have also directed all the station house officers of the area to provide special patrolling in the areas, having these counters and tp keep a strict vigil on ATMs, particularly during late night,” said DSP Sohal. “We did not wish to repeat Panchkula incident here,” added DSP Sohal. Notably, there are 27 ATM counters under Mataur police station, out of which five have no guard. Similarly, there are as many as 34 ATM counters under Phase I police station out of which 19 counters do no guard. In Nayagoan area, three counters are without security guard while two have guards.
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Chandigarh Scan
World Habitat Day
Chandigarh Housing Board celebrated the World Habitat Day here today. Various events like declamation contest, tree plantation, cleanliness drive and painting competition were held in coordination with the Education Department and Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh. Free
ambulance service The Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CBM) today formed a committee to look after the overall operation of their free ambulance service. President of Beopar Mandal said that the ambulance is stationed at the Sector 32 situated General Hospital and cards carrying the phone number (783777436) to call the ambulance are being distributed at shops in the city. Plantation drive On the eve of the birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rotaract Club Of DAV College, Sector-10 celebrated the day by conducting a plantation drive at Kartar Asra, an old age home and orphanage. The members of the club, along with children and residents of the Kartar Asra, planted around 60 trees of different types. NSS Camp The third day of the ongoing NSS camp of Dev Samaj College of Education, the day started with Yoga. NSS programme officers Kiranjit Kaur and Dr Richa Sharma delivered a lecture to celebrate ‘International Elderly Day’. The students also went door-to-door to make the elderly aware of their rights. A rally was also held to celebrate ‘World Blood Donation Day. APL
beneficiaries All the registered Above Poverty Line (APL) beneficiaries of Chandigarh, who could not draw their entitlement of 40 kg wheat for the month of September from the Fair Price Shops due to non receipts of stocks by the Food and Supplies Department, Chandigarh, can now get the same as the UT Administration has now decided to allow all the registered APL beneficiaries to draw their entitlement for the month of September, 2012, till October 10. The quota of October month would be released later. Gandhi Jayanti Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was celebrated with great joy at Kundan International School. Students came forward with articles, speeches, and poems and also presented a memorable skit. A colouring competition for classes I to IX was also held in the school on the theme ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’ to mark the day. Children of classes VI, VII, VIII and IX also celebrated the International Eldery Day with great enthusiasm by participating in a walk. Administrator’s message Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Shivraj V Patil today greeted the people of Punjab and Chandigarh on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. Describing Mahatma Gandhi as the man of the millennium, Patil said that Gandhiji played an important role in achieving independence for India through the principle of non-violence, and the people of the country would always remember and follow his message of truth, peace, love, friendship and non-violence. Walkathon To mark the celebrations of International Day of Older Persons, HelpAge India Chandigarh organised a 'Walkathon'. More than 300 schoolchildren and 150 senior citizens participated in the event. Pawan Kumar Bansal, Union Cabinet Minister, Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources, and Raj Bala Malik, Mayor, Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh flagged-off the walk. Chandigarh Haat Children and their parents enjoyed participating in various games and tasks on stage at the Chandigarh Haat. Anchors Adhikari and Angel managed the programme quite well. All the parents were happy to see their children perform on stage. Children performed dance, sang songs and won gifts. They said it was a memorable moment for them. An appeal Rohan Ahuja (11), a resident of Patiala, is suffering from Thallasaemia since his birth. According to doctors, his treatment would cost around Rs 25-30 lakh. His father, Raj Kumar is a tailor by profession and needs monetary help. Anyone who wishes to help Rohan can contact 9888761004, 9779588211, 9988703296 Awareness camp Speaking at an awareness camp, Dr Rajendra Setty, director, Children’s Hospital, Panchkula, said that celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which an individual becomes intolerant to gluten which is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. It is estimated that one out of hundred people (both children and adults) are affected by thedisease. Some of the most common symptoms are joint pain, anaemia, diarrhoea, constipation, fatigue, and irritability. She said celiac disease requires patients to follow a strict, gluten-free diet. —
Tribune Reporters
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graduates constituency Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 1 Several new faces have replaced sitting Senators in the reserved seats for the graduate constituency. Three winners, out of the total 15, were already announced last week, with Sandeep Kumar bagging the highest number of votes, followed by DP Randhawa and Sanjeev Arora. The sitting Senators who lost the elections are Prabhjit Singh, Dharinder Tayal, RK Sharma, Rabindarnath Sharma, and Rajbans Singh Gill. Deepak Manmohan Singh, who had remained a Senate member till 2008, also lost the elections for the second time consecutively. The list of 36 nominated members, which is being finalised by the Vice President of India, who is the Chancellor of University, is yet to be declared. The equation of already existing groups in the Senate would change with new faces. Five candidates of the DAV management would also play a crucial role in strengthening the groups. A senior member of the Senate said that the 36 nominated members may also be deciding factor in changing the equation. The four-year tenure of the new Senate would begin from November 1.
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Focus shifts to nominated members
Chandigarh, October 1 PUCSC president Satinder Singh, who is a SOPU member, said that they are soon going to write to the Vice President of India Hamid Ansari who is the Chancellor of PU and Vice Chancellor Arun Grover demanding a representation for the president of student council. It was in 2009 that SOPU chief Brinder Dhilon initiated a campaign demanding Senate representation to the students following which Amit Bhatia, who was elected as the PUCSC president in 2009, was allowed to attend Senate meetings. However, Bhatia was not allowed to participate in the proceedings of the meeting. Dhillon, who has revived the campaign, stated that they are soon going to meet the Chancellor and request him to nominate the council president in the Senate. “When the presidents of PU Teachers Association and PU Non-Teaching Employees Association can be the members of the Senate, then why were students deprived off their rights?" Dhillon said. Dhillon said that it was surprising that the students don't have a representative to put forth their issues and problems in the Senate. Students are demanding that the Senate should have 92 seats instead of 91 for which an amendment in the PU calendar should be made. “Till the time the amendment is made in the rules and a permanent seat for PUCSC president is established, we would continue to demand that PUCSC president be nominated in the Senate along with the other nominated members,” Dhillon said.
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Cambridge University names city school as associate centre
Chandigarh, October 1 Ronald Michael, area manager - examinations (North India and Nepal), Cambridge University Press India Pvt Ltd (CUPIPL), which administers all University of Cambridge programmes, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The British School, to formalise the arrangement. Under the agreement, The British School, Chandigarh, has been made a centre for promotion and enrolment of Cambridge ESOL (English for Speakers of Other languages) exam candidates, organising classes, and conducting examinations in India.
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College objects to Spanish dancers' dress, stops performance
Chandigarh, October 1 Thirty-one year old Maria, one of the belly dancers, said that being asked to come down from the stage after the performance began was quite insulting. " Just a few minutes after the performance began, they stopped the music and asked us to leave. If they had problem with the attire, they should have asked us to change it before we began the performance. We didn't had any problem in wearing an India dress," Maria said. MCM principal Puneet Bedi, said that they didn't had problem with the dance but it was the costume the dancers were wearing due to which objections were raised. "Every college has a value system. Following ours, we didn't permit them to perform in that particular costume," the principal said. Shocked after the incident, Anna (23), a student from Spain and also a belly dancer who is performing in India for the first time, said that belly dancing is all about body movement and the clothes worn during the dance are necessary to show the moves. Belly dancing has become a part of the mainstream Western culture and Spain is no exception. In Spain, belly dancing is an extremely popular dance form and is also used as a "dance therapy" to treat psychological and health problems, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder etc. Rocio, another student from Spain who was a part of the three member group, said that it was surprising that they could not perform just because of their dresses. Theses dresses are worn worldwide by belly dancers, she said. "I never thought that costumes can lead to an issue in a country like India which is known for its fashion across the globe," she added. The dancers today successfully gave a similar performance at the SD College which was appreciated by the spectators.
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The complainant, Om Prakash, a resident of Hallo Majra, who had come along with his wife Sunita Sharma, was not satisfied with the public darbar. 
