Mumbai's bar owners are upset with the Maharashtra government. They think the move to ban under-21s from going to pubs and discotheques and the crackdown on bars named after gods and goddesses is ridiculous.

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"Why is the government adopting double standard," asks Dipendra Singh, president, AHAR (a non-ladies bar) association. "On the one hand it is authorising those over 18 to vote, and on the other hand it is stopping them from doing what they wish to do. This is nothing but another instrument for police to harass us. How can we verify the age of our customers? If someone comes in our bars, who are we to ask them for their age certificate?

Another bar owner says, "Many people visit bars in groups and sometime young people come with them. If you tell them that under-21s are not allowed, do you think the older customers will ask the youngsters to sit out?"

The government has also ordered that bars named after gods and goddesses must get new names or face action.
 
Sachdev has no problem with that. "But the government should introduce proper channels for this. Money is not a factor in these cases because it requires a small amount. But it takes almost a month to get a new license. Who can afford to lose a month's business," he asks.

Prakash Shetty, a bar owner in suburban Mumbai, says the names often represent family/emotional links. "Durga can be a bar owner's daughter's name, Shiv could be his nephew. Why should he be prevented from expressing his affection for a family member by attaching his/her name to the business he runs," he asks.

Bar owners feel this sudden activity against liquor joints is election related.