Barber shops shut down in Karnataka’s Koppal village after Dalits request haircuts: Report
Koppal: In a troubling instance of caste-based discrimination, barber shops in Muddaballi village, located about 7 kilometers from Koppal district headquarters, have reportedly shut their doors after members of the Dalit community sought their services.
Reports of barbers refusing to serve Dalit men surfaced two months ago. It was only after police warned them of punishment under laws against untouchability that the barbers reluctantly agreed to provide services to Dalit customers, as reported by Deccan Herald on Wednesday.
However, it is now reported that the barbers have resumed discriminatory practices, selectively visiting homes of customers from other communities while deliberately avoiding Dalit households.
As a result, Dalit men of Muddaballi are being forced to travel to Koppal city for basic grooming services such as haircuts and shaving, the report added.
The incident has drawn the attention of political leaders and activists, with Basavaraj Dadesaguru, president of the BJP’s Koppal district unit, criticising the state government for its apparent apathy toward the struggles faced by Dalits.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
