It's black day for Maharashtra: R R Patil's daughter

Smita Patil, daughter of the late NCP leader R R Patil, on Thursday termed as "unfortunate" the Supreme Court's decision to lift several restrictions on dance bars in Maharashtra.

It was R R Patil who, as home minister in the Congress-NCP regime, had first banned dance bars in the state.

Reacting to the court's decision, Smita said this was a "black day".

"I felt really sad, it is unfortunate from Maharashtra's point of view. It is a black day for the state," she told a news channel.

Her father was moved by the plight of some families which were ruined due to dance bars and decided to ban these establishments, she said.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar said R R Patil brought in the original law banning dance bars to save the young generation.

"But the state government did not present its side properly before the court. The BJP has forced us to see this black day," Pawar said.

The apex court Thursday paved the way for reopening ofdance bars in Maharashtra by setting aside some provisions ofa 2016 law which imposed restrictions on their licensing andfunctioning.