The article does go on to address this claim that lower-caste women had to keep their breasts bare in front of men of higher castes. It claims that this cloth used to cover the upper body was a sign of status and not a gendered practice. Men (and women) of a lower caste, would also have to take of their upper cloth when in the presence of a woman (or man) of a higher caste. The authors point throughout the article is that the right lens through which the significance of the "cloth" is to be viewed is in terms of caste and status; not that of gender. Don't know enough about the details here to compare the references he used against yours but thought it'd be helpful to share what comes after those first few lines.