The weeklong farce in the Chhattisgarh capital has ended with the media getting what they had campaigned for  a government order saying no more dance floors, hookah bars and late night parties in city hotels.

It began with a five-star hotel organising a rain dance party last month. Next day, papers ran a full-page photo feature on the "rave party". Channels aired "exclusive footage" of boys and girls present, caring little about their privacy. 'Ashleelta ka nanga naach (naked dance of vulgarity)', 'Jaam chhalke (drinks spilled over)'..., screamed headlines. Papers and channels not present during the party obtained visuals from others and joined in.

Soon the BJP and its women's wing entered. The Congress mayor, a woman, swooped down on the opportunity. Applications were submitted to top police officers and women's commission to "rein in elements that pollute the Chhattisgarh culture".

Pressured, the police acted swiftly. TV channels present during the party for coverage were summoned to submit the event's CD. The identification of "miscreants" began. "Every culprit will be jailed," the police threatened.

Media stepped up the "cleansing campaign". Youths were called to thanas, girls summoned and given instant bail, boys taken to courts. Some even spent a night or two in central jail. A T-shirt a boy wore at the event became a victim. "We spotted objectionable words written on a T-shirt. We identified the boy, seized the shirt. Search is on to trace the shopkeeper," a senior cop was quoted as saying. The T-shirt remains in the maalkhana of a thana.

None of course cared to discern what was "rave" about the party. Drugs were not involved, nor was there public nuisance. It was a private gathering inside a hotel and TV footage did not show anything criminal under sections of the IPC the youths were booked under. They simply danced, that's all. For drinks the hotel had the requisite licence.

... contd.

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