By IANS,
Varanasi : A discotheque in this ancient Hindu holy city in Uttar Pradesh has not been given permission to open as it will undermine the rich culture and heritage of Varanasi, police here said.
“It (the discotheque) will also create law and order problems,” Inspector Sanjay Nath Tiwari of the Sigra police station stated in a press release issued Tuesday.
Neeraj Singh, who owns the hotel which added the Rs.20 lakh discotheque to the complex, told IANS: “I assured in writing to the Varanasi police May 2 that the disco club was being opened exclusively for hotel guests, tourists and guests coming to the hotel bar, with further clarification that no professional dancers or any other types of dance forms, like cabaret, will be performed in the club.”
“Spread over 1400 sq feet, I have equipped it with imported shimmering lights and high-power sound systems,” he said.
Tour operators, specially entertaining foreign tourists, said they had high hopes from the discotheque.
“European tourists, specially Spanish and Russian, miss the night life as discotheques are situated only at Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow and Noida in Uttar Pradesh till now. A disco here would have taken care of this tourist grievance and boosted tourism in the city in a big manner,” tour operator Akhilesh Singh said.
Regional tourism officer of Uttar Pradesh Dinesh Kumar said: “A discotheque in Varanasi is a must for rendering an additional option for tourists, especially foreigners, who hanker for night life during their stay in this ancient, but world famous tourist city.”
Singh said: “We still hope to get permission to start the disco, which will boost tourism as well as render space for kitty parties, engagements as well as birthday bashes.”