The Mira Bhyandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) on Tuesday demolished illegal dance bars as part of their demolition drive against unauthorised bars in Mira Road and Bhayandar, following instructions from the state. This demolition drive was part of a broader effort by the MBMC to address unauthorized bars and lodges in the region.
Earlier, in January 2024, the MBMC demolished about 15 structures in the Muslim-dominated Haidary Chowk area in Mira Road, following communal clashes. The operation of dance bars in Maharashtra has a long and chequered history. Each time the Supreme Court has upheld the rights of bar owners and dancers, the government enacted laws and imposed rules to checkmate these directives.
These bars were banned by the Maharashtra government in 2005 when RR Patil was home minister but, in 2006, the Bombay High Court struck down the ban. In 2013, the Supreme Court upheld the high court verdict.