The Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport, which is operated by the Adani group, has refuted a report by a major Assamese media house that it has banned traditional clothes for its female employees. The official Twitter handle of the Guwahati International Airport posted a message on Twitter refuting the allegations.
The statement issued by the airport said, “A private TV channel has alleged that the female staff of ‘Pranaam’ service at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, have been told to avoid traditional clothing and ornaments. This is totally baseless and untrue. Airport staff have been given no such instructions. We greatly admire and revere the culture and traditions of Assam and the Northeast.”
We would like to draw your attention to this fact that the allegation levelled by a private TV channel, against the female team members of Pranaam, is baseless and untrue. #GuwahatiAirport greatly admires the culture and traditions of Assam and the Northeast. pic.twitter.com/DtUtfKt59l
— GUWAHATI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (@GuwahatiAirport) November 11, 2021
The Airport added in the tweet that the allegation levelled by a private TV channel against the female team members of Pranaam is baseless and untrue.
The Airport management was referring to a report published by Assamese news channel Pratitin Times, which is run by left-wing media house Sadin – Pratidin Group. The group runs the largest circulated Assamese daily Asomiya Pratidin. In its report, Pratidin Times had claimed that Adani group has issued the contract to a company named Pranam, and this company has issued a dress code where female employees have been banned from wearing traditional clothes. It had claimed that even Sindur and bindis will not be allowed for female employees.
“According to the new rule, the female employees can’t wear Mekhala Chador (the traditional dress of Assam), can’t wear bangles, mangalsutras and can’t even wear sindoor while on duty at LGBI Airport,” the report had claimed. It went on to claim that even married women will not be allowed to wear bindis. The report stated that this is a sheer insult to the Assamese culture and tradition.
However, this has turned out to be fake news as the airport administration has refuted the report and clarified that no such dress code has been issued by Pranam, an Adani group company that runs guest services at airports operated by the Adani group.
Pratitin group is known for being extremely critical of Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, and this report can be assumed to part of propaganda against the Adani Group that the opposition parties in Assam are running ever since the company took over the operations of the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport.
I won’t bow down before Sri Jayanta Baruah of Pratidin. Know him very well since my childhood and I can vouch that he is not Saint (1)
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 22, 2017
If Assam Tribune can give salary to its employees as per wage board why not Pratidin?Jayanta Baruah should not lecture on morality.Exploiter
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 24, 2017
The CM had criticised the media group owner Jayanta Baruah several times on social media.