New Delhi: In a shocking incident of discrimination, a restaurant in Delhi denied service to street children citing that they were not "well dressed and looked dirty.”
Sonali Shetty, who took a few street children with her to a restaurant at Connaught Place to celebrate husband’s birthday, has lodged a complaint against the Shiv Sagar restaurant.
She alleged that the management at the restaurant told her and the children to vacate the premises immediately as it is their right to serve whomever they want.
"They clearly told us to get and also threatened to shoot me if I don't clear out from the premises. The owner discriminated with kids and refused service citing that kids aren't well dressed and are look dirty,” Sonali said.
She took the children to another restaurant but came back at Shiv Sagar and sat down in front of the restaurant in protest.
However, the restaurant has denied the allegations of the woman and said that children were permitted inside the restaurant but denied service later as they were creating a ruckus inside and disturbing other customers.
"It is completely untrue that we denied entry to the children, as we have it on record that we allowed them to sit inside. We also never said that we won't provide service to the children. But then the kids were making a lot of noise, tossing things around and creating a commotion,” Roma Malhotra, an employee of the restaurant said.
“As a restaurateur, I have the right to deny service to someone who disturbs other customers,” she added.
Taking cognizance of the incident, the Delhi Government has ordered a probe into the incident.
“This is typical Colonial mindset. Can't be tolerated. Have ordered DM New Delhi to enquire & report within 24 hours,” Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Sunday.
"If allegations found true, we'll cancel restaurant's license, action will be taken undr appropriate sections," he added.
