In a shocking incident, a prominent restaurant in Connaught Place allegedly denied entry to unprivileged children accompanied by a woman, prompting the Delhi government to order an inquiry.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia called the incident an example of “colonial mindset” and said that if the allegations are true, the restaurant’s license will be cancelled. “If the allegations are true, the Delhi government will cancel the restaurant’s licence,” the minister said. He has also ordered the New Delhi district magistrate to conduct a probe into the incident and submit a report within 24 hours.
“This is typical colonial mindset. Can’t be tolerated. Have ordered DM New Delhi to inquire & report within 24 hours,” he said in his tweet. Sonali Shetty, a writer, had taken some street children for a lunch to the restaurant to celebrate her husband’s birthday. But they were allegedly denied service by the eatery staff.
“I had taken eight underprivileged children for lunch to the Shiv Sagar restaurant, but the staff there refused to serve us. I was also ridiculed and threatened to keep off the restaurant,” she said.
Roma Malhotra, PR of Shiv Sagar restaurant, refused to comment in the matter and accused the media of not reporting their version of events properly. Meanwhile, the New Delhi District Magistrate visited the restaurant on Sunday morning and questioned its staff.
“The DM asked the waiters and other staff of the restaurant about yesterday’s incident and noted it down,” said a restaurant staff member. Terming the incident as a “failure” of the society, Shetty said that she staged a protest outside the eatery for over 10 hours till around 12 but nothing happened. “I will go again to the restaurant in the evening with those children and buy them food,” she said.
Shetty went to the same restaurant on Sunday and staged a protest on being denied entry.
“I went there at around 4 pm with the children but we were again denied entry and then I took the children to a nearby food outlet and fed them.” She also alleged that the policemen who had come to the restaurant on her call of not helping her. She says they “reprimanded” her and asked her to take the children to some other place.
“We are investigating the matter thoroughly but no case has been registered yet,” a senior police official said.