Karnataka Govt Orders GT Mall To Shut Down After Dhoti Incident

The Karnataka Government has taken decisive action against GT Mall in Bengaluru after an incident involving an elderly farmer being denied entry for wearing a dhoti, which sparked widespread outrage.

GT Mall Dhoti Incident:

The incident occurred on Tuesday when the farmer and his son were restricted from entering GT Mall despite having tickets for a Kannada movie. 

Security refused entry considering the dhoti as inappropriate attire, the farmer and his son made a video of the incident in front of the mall which went viral on social media and triggered public condemnation.

GT Mall Apology: 

In response to the public rage, the mall management issued a public apology, as did the security guard involved. Despite these apologies, the situation case was registered against the mall owner and security staff on Wednesday for denying the elderly man's entry.

GT Mall Shutdown:

Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh addressed the matter in the Karnataka Assembly on Thursday, revealing that the government had the authority to enforce a temporary closure of the mall under existing legal provisions.

"I have consulted with a former BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) commissioner. The government has the legal mandate to shut down the mall for up to seven days," Suresh stated.

Following this announcement, the Karnataka Government ordered GT Mall to cease operations for one week as a disciplinary measure. The incident has brought light to the cultural sensitivity in cities.