Letters: August 6, 2013

Understand the difference. It is important to understand that dhotis are the traditional attire of people from Tamil Nadu, a southern state in India (‘Man wearing dhoti not allowed on Dubai Metro,’ Gulf News, August 4). And when I say traditional attire, it also means the formal attire of the state. The people of Tamil Nadu wear it for their social, cultural and formal occasions with pride. Even during a marriage, a bridegroom wears the dhoti. It’s important to understand the difference between a dhoti and a lungi. A dhoti is a cotton based all-white formal wear. A lungi is a colourful garment, which looks similar, yet supposed to be worn indoors. The chief minister of the state and its parliamentarians wear the dhoti regularly to work. It’s unfortunate that people, especially Indians don’t recognise this as formal wear. As long as the garment covers the whole body and does not expose any part in an indecent manner, people should be allowed to wear it. It’s important that we spread awareness about this and clarify issues so that another elder is not embarrassed. From Mr Sony Dubai Website comment. It’s culture. Those who have a problem with people wearing a dhoti should also remember that Mahatma Gandhi wore dhoti all the time and is considered one of the most influential personalities, internationally, of the past century. The question is, would the police officer stop a Scotsman, wearing his traditional kilt, from travelling on the Metro? From Mr Gerald Dubai Website comment. Consistency. If the dhoti is not allowed in the country then the person should have been warned by the airport authorities on arrival. Consistency would have kept him from embarrassment. From Mr Naik Dubai Website comment. Respect . The UAE is a progressive country and has every right to stop an individual wearing indecent clothing on the train. It has nothing to do with the age or the nationality of the person. A few years ago a similar incident happened when a South Indian man wearing a mundu (similar to the dhoti) was riding a bike in Dubai. Being expatriates, we need to respect the laws of the country we live in. It’s not that difficult to avoid wearing a dhoti in public. From A Reader Abu Dhabi Website comment. Confusion. For those who think that the Ihram is the same as a dhoti, it’s not! And for those who think that Ihram was the traditional outfit of the Arabs in the old days, it wasn’t! Ihram is only used by Arabs for pilgrimage to Mecca and once the pilgrimage is over, the Ihram is off. From Mr Mohammad Al Edroos Dubai Website comment. Farmers. Wearing a dhoti is very common in rural India, especially by farmers, who grow grains for us. I think we should have some consideration for them. From Mr Suresh Kumar Dubai Website comment. Follow the rules. We all need to abide by the rules of the country. The UAE law knows what is best for the people living here. If the rule is not to wear a dhoti or a lungi, it should be respected. People are free to wear their traditional attire back home. Age is not the criteria. From Ms Sujatha Dubai Website comment. Be fair. If an elderly person is wearing decent and comfortable clothes, how does that matter to anyone else? When this city welcomes people from different parts of the world, it should also welcome their culture. This is a personal issue of the police officer and this should not be accepted. People in public service should be fair to everyone. It must be such an embarrassment for that elderly gentlemen and his daughter. From Ms Sandhya Dubai Website comment. Personal issue. I am surprised that this police officer had a personal issue with the dhoti, as the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and police do not object. Dhoti is traditional Indian attire and deserves to be accorded same respect as any other traditional attire. We as Indians respect all traditions and never insult foreigners in India and we expect the same from others. This incident should be investigated. For the information of some people in this discussion, a dhoti covers the body appropriately and can reveal if not worn appropriately, however the same logic applies to other attires. From Mr Mukesh Dubai Website comment. It’s decent. Dhoti is certainly not an indecent dress. The defence minister of India attends and travels across the globe wearing the same. Is it wrong or shameful to wear your traditional attire? From Ms Anamika Dubai Website comment. Consider the age. The police personnel should have considered the age of the passenger - 67 years. I am sure he never wore pants or any other modern clothing. If this incident happened to a younger person, I would be on the side of the policeman. But, in this case it is a little harsh. From Ms S.A. Abu Dhabi Website comment. A personal choice. We don’t like many types of attire when we are out on the road, but that doesn’t mean we can force someone to follow our choice. I never wore a dhoti but I would never mind someone else wearing it. From Mr Ahmed Dubai Website comment. It can be revealing. A dhoti can be a slightly risky garment. It can fly apart with strong gusts of wind, or in a crowded train, which the Dubai Metro usually is, thus revealing more than intended. Maybe the policeman was aware of this. Of course, Mahatma Gandhi wore a dhoti to Buckingham Place for a state dinner and was not turned away. This elderly man and his daughter could, perhaps, have provided such historical references. From Ms Asha Gidwani Sharjah Website comment