A theatre personality, Anuradha H.R., who went to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) office in Kengeri on Thursday alleged that she was subjected to “moral policing” by an official who objected to the way she was dressed.
She has written to Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta, who told The Hindu that he has ordered an inquiry into the incident and sought a report. “We will take action against the officer, if he is found guilty. This behaviour is not accepted,” he said.
Ms. Anuradha, who had been with her friend to get a khata extract, said the official, Madhu, went on a rant saying she was dressed indecently. “I was wearing a T-shirt and three-fourths pants. The officer said that this was not the way for women to dress at a government office and that there was a dress code. I asked for the dress code, which he failed to furnish. When I took up the issue with him, objecting to his moral policing, he stopped talking to me and did not help us get our work done,” she told The Hindu.
Ms. Anuradha said she “felt very violated as a woman” and that it was no business of any government official to impose their morals on citizens visiting government offices.
