After 7-day closure, Bengaluru mall faces police complaint for barring farmer in dhoti: Report

A complaint has been lodged against a Bengaluru mall's owner and security guard for refusing entry to an elderly farmer wearing a dhoti.

A police complaint has been filed against a mall owner and its security guard in Bengaluru for denying entry to an elderly farmer on Tuesday evening due to his “traditional” attire, a dhoti, the NDTV reported. The incident, wherein a 70-year-old farmer was turned away from Bengaluru's GT Mall on Magadi Main Road for wearing a traditional dhoti and white shirt has sparked outrage among the public.

A video shows a conversation with the Bengaluru mall’s security supervisor, who claims that the mall’s dress code bans entry for anyone wearing a dhoti.

The farmer, identified as Fakeerappa, was allegedly denied entry to the mall because of his traditional clothes. He had gone to the mall with the simple aim of watching a movie along with his son.

The incident has drawn criticism from several quarters, including local farmer unions and politicians. Actress and model Gauahar Khan was among those condemning the incident, as she took to Instagram recently to make her stance clear. Calling the incident “shameful”, Khan shared a video on her Instagram story on Wednesday, writing a message that said, “This is absolutely shameful. Strict action must be taken against the mall. This is India and we all must be proud of our culture.”

A group of farmers, along with a pro-Kannada organization, also protested in front of the city mall soon after the incident. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also attacked the Congress-led government in Karnataka over the incident.

After facing the public outrage, the Karnataka government announced an action against the mall, imposing a seven-day closure on it. Speaking in the assembly, Karnataka Urban Development minister Byrathi Suresh said, “According to the law, the government can shut the mall for seven days. I spoke to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officers, and the mall will be closed for seven days as an action against the incident.”