India’s Southern Indian state, Tamil Nadu has come hard on the issue of banning traditional attire, ‘dhoti’, by passing a law, where such bans in public places will be seen as a cognisable offence punishable with jail terms, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

The Tamil Nadu assembly yesterday unanimously passed the ‘Dhoti Bill’.

The House adopted the Tamil Nadu Entry into Public Places (Removal of Restriction on Dress) Act, 2014 after its Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa moved it for consideration and passing, PTI said.

The bill empowers the state to cancel the licences of such clubs, recreation associations, trusts and companies or societies denying entry to any person wearing a dhoti or traditional attire of men in the state.

The violators of the act will attract penal action, including cancellation of licence after notice, besides punishment with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year and with a fine of up to Rs 25,000 (US$408), PTI reported.

It was reported that the state decided to come up with the statutory law after a judge was denied entry into a club for being clad in the costume. The incident that took place last month stirred some controversies down south.

The dhoti, also known as pancha, mardani or veshti, is a traditional men’s garment worn in India. It is a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth, usually around 4.5 metres long, wrapped around the waist and the legs and knotted at the waist, resembling a long skirt.

- Bernama