The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Many on a high after verdict

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Friday, Sep 26, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Many on a high after verdict

Chitra V. Ramani

‘Earlier, government rules prevented us from employing girls’

Bangalore: The High Court ruling allowing women to work in places that serve alcohol appears to have given them a “high”. Many in the hospitality sector were visibly thrilled at the prospect of more job opportunities for women.

Harinder Singh, General Manager, The Grand Ashok, said: “I feel that it is a tremendous development and reflects gender equality in our society and also the right to equal opportunity. Having women bar tenders will definitely add a new element to our bar and night life. It is a positive move and a step forward and is in keeping with the eclectic and international flavour of Bangalore city.”

She also said that the five-star hotel has had quite a few enquiries from women bar tenders earlier. Other metropolitan cities already have women bar tenders. “The current ruling is sure to generate a lot of interest among girls who would like to take up this opportunity,” she said.

Rakhi Lalwani, Public Relations Officer, Taj Residency, was also in favour of the judgement. “Taj Group has never discriminated, but we were not able to appoint any women bar tenders due to the Government rules. We are very open to the fact that we will now be able to hire women, as we believe in fair employment,” she said.

She said that a few women who had been trained abroad had applied earlier. “Hopefully, now more girls will be encouraged to take up bar tending as a career,” she added.

Carlton Braganza, owner of Opus, a lounge bar in the city, said that there were two ways of looking at the judgement. While it was a welcome step with regard to opening up employment opportunities for women, the State should also have a mechanism in place to ensure that these women are not exploited. “There is a fine line. This could go the same way as women working in dance bars. Though it is a progressive move, there needs to be a mature interpretation of the law that ensures protection of these women,” he added.

The industry welcomes it. The question is whether there are enough trained girl students who would be willing to work in places that serve alcohol.

Abby Mathew, principal of M.S. Ramaiah College of Hotel Management, said that at least 30 students opt for the Food and Beverage (Service) specialisation that includes bar tending. “At least 30 to 40 per cent of those are girls. Though the number of students opting for this specialisation may not change, girl students now have another avenue to look at, which is a good thing,” he said.

He said that earlier, even if girls wanted to get jobs as bar tenders, they were not able to because of the Government rules.

Bravima Shetty, a third-year student at M.S. Ramaiah College of Hotel Management, said that there always were certain misconceptions about bar tending. “Now that the High Court of Karnataka has allowed the appointment of women bar tenders, the misconceptions, to a certain extent, might be dispelled. It is not fair to restrict women from taking up certain jobs. Girls, who are interested in bar tending, will be now be able to do what they like,” she added.

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