Many foreign cheerleaders have been imported to India with this month's inauguration of the India Premier League (IPL), a shortened form of traditional cricket that transforms the game into a more glitzy US-style sponsored sport event.

But some outraged politicians say it is an affront to Indian culture while a few of the cheerleaders themselves complain lewd comment and insults from spectators is making their job a misery.

"It's been horrendous," Tabitha, a cheerleader from Uzbekistan, told a national daily.

"Wherever we go we do expect people to pass lewd, snide remarks but I'm shocked by the nature and magnitude of the comments people pass here."

The IPL has caught the imagination of India, a nation of 1.1 billion and the world's biggest cricket audience. TV rights sold for more than $900 million and players for eight teams, many imported from abroad, were auctioned for millions.

In contrast to the cliched cricket image of genteel spectators sipping tea while politely applauding their team, now scantily-clad dancers gyrate to Bollywood or Western-style dance music blaring out from loudspeakers in stadiums.

Even well-known cheerleaders from the Washington Redskins flew to India to perform for the Bangalore Royal Challengers. Photos of the dancers graced the front pages of most newspapers.

MORE VULGAR

"What the cheerleaders are doing during cricket matches is ten times more vulgar than what used to happen in dance bars of Mumbai," Nitin Gadkari, BJP’s chief in Maharashtra, said.

"If we could ban dance bars, how can we allow such vulgar dance in a cricket field. I am getting huge complaints and cheerleaders must be banned immediately from entering a cricket field," Gadkari said.

In the IT hub of Bangalore, Parvathi, a housewife, said US cheerleaders were an affront to India.

"What is the purpose of this display? It is embarrassing," said Parvathi.

But Charu Sharma, Chief Executive of Bangalore Royal Challengers defended the cheerleaders.

"Let us not play this high handed moral belief game. It is only small maverick groups that are making a noise," Sharma said.

"We are aware of the concerns and can take nothing for granted. A security ring will be provided to them and everything that can be done will be done," Sharma said.

Some Indians said critics were hypocritical in a nation well known for its sensual Bollywood musicals.