Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday warned it would cancel licences of clubs if their activities are against Tamil culture, following the outrage over an incident where a retired judge in dhoti was turned away by a cricket club.

Last Friday, justice D. Hariparanthaman who was invited to a book release function at Tamil Nadu Cricket Club at Chepauk in Chennai was denied entry as he was wearing dhoti.

Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa in a press statement termed the dhoti ban “sartorical despotism" and a mockery of Tamil culture. “The government would enact a new law in this current session to curb such practices." she said.

The retired judge told television news channels: “After 60 years of independence, I can’t accept this. They can have rules for their members, not for visitors who come on invitation,"

On Monday, when the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly met, opposition parties asked the state government to intervene and take appropriate legal action against the club for the “injustice" meted out to Tamils.

“It is not just Tamil Nadu Cricket Association Club (TNCA), many clubs like the Gymkhana Club, Race Course Club and Boat Club also follow such a rule, which has not changed in the 67 years since the British left the country," said M.K. Stalin, treasurer of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

According to TNCA dress code, “persons will not be admitted into the club premises if they are not decently dressed. Persons attired in coloured bermudas, colour or multi-colour lungies, cut banians or vests and/or wearing hawai chappals will not be permitted into the TNCA club."

The press release pointed out that the dress code had not mentioned dhoti.

A letter has been sent to TNCA to give explanation on denying entry to a judge and senior lawyers because they were wearing dhoti, said the chief minister.

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