Rooms, hearts open for all: OYO delists Delhi hotel after J&K man denied entry
New Delhi, Mar 24: The phone of Syed Faisal, a 30-year-old from Srinagar, hasn't stopped buzzing since a video of him being denied accommodation at a Delhi hotel went viral. He said the incident has left him disturbed.
As the clip went viral on social media, hospitality firm OYO took off from its platform the hotel located in north Delhi's Jahangirpuri.
According to police, an FIR has been registered against the owner of the hotel.
Faizal, who works in multi national company as an auditor, said it is for the first time he has faced such kind of "discrimination".
In the video, a woman staffer of the hotel can be seen not allowing him to check-in as he was from Jammu & Kashmir.
"It was really disturbing. How could they do this to me just because I am a native of Jammu and Kashmir. I showed them my passport and my Aadhar card and still they did not allow me in," he told PTI.
Ever since the video has gone viral, Faizal said he has received over 1,000 calls from relatives and media persons.
"My family is worried whether I am fine or not. Every known person is calling me as they want to know what happened," he said.
Reacting to the incident on Twitter, OYO said, "We are appalled that this happened. We have taken the hotel off from our platform immediately."
The company further said, "Our rooms and our hearts are open for everyone, always. This is not something that we will compromise on, ever. We will definitely check what compelled the hotel to deny check-in."
The hotel has not responded to calls and text messages.
"The incident took place on March 22, I was in Jahangirpuri due to some work. At around 4 pm, I reached the hotel and the lady at the desk asked for my ID proofs and when I showed them to her, she noticed my address and said police have directed them to not allow people from Jammu and Kashmir," Faizal said.
In the video, Faizal can be heard repeatedly asking the staffer the reason behind the refusal.
"I asked her multiple time why they are not allowing me in. She did not reply. My job demands travelling but this is the first time that such treatment has been meted out to me," he said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (northwest) Usha Rangnani said a complaint was received at Mahendra Park Police Station stating that some people from Jammu and Kashmir were denied accommodation in a hotel in the area.
A case under section 153-B(1)b (any member of a religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or community denied of rights) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered and investigation is in progress, the DCP said.
In the video, the reason for refusal to allot a room was cited as directions from police but I would like to clarify again that no such direction has been given by the local police, she added.
On Wednesday too, the Delhi Police had clarified that it had not issued any direction against giving accommodation in hotels to those from Jammu and Kashmir.
"A purported video has gone viral on social media wherein a person is being denied hotel reservation due to his J&K ID. The reason for cancellation is being given as direction from police. It is clarified that no such direction has been given by Delhi Police," it said in a series of tweets on Wednesday.
A purported video is viral on social media wherein a person is being denied hotel reservation due to his J&K ID. The reason for cancellation is being given as direction from police.
— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) March 23, 2022
It is clarified that no such direction has been given by Delhi Police.(1/3)@ANI @PTI_News
— OYO4U (@OYO4U) March 23, 2022
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2 days' WFH for govt offices, Metro use by ministers: Delhi CM's call for fuel conservation
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday announced a slew of measures including two days of 'work from home' (WFH) for government offices, use of Metro trains on Mondays by ministers and officers, and a voluntary 'no-vehicle day' every week.
Gupta said in a press conference attended by her Cabinet colleagues that the government has drawn an extensive plan under "Mera Bharat, Mera Yogdan" to implement the appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for saving fuel and wise expenditure.
She said all Delhi government offices will follow WFH two days a week. The private sector will also be requested to follow it, she said.
Gupta said all ministers, officers and she herself will use Metro for commuting on Mondays while people will be requested to observe 'no-vehicle day' every week.
The government has also decided to cancel all official foreign visits by ministers for one year while no big events will be hosted by it for the next three months, she said.
The chief minister said petrol and diesel quotas of the Delhi government officers have also been slashed by 20 per cent.
Earlier, Gupta headed a meeting with all her Cabinet ministers and senior officers of the government to discuss ways to save fuel and other resources amid global uncertainty over crude oil and gas supplies.
The chief minister has also cut down on her carcade by 60 per cent, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to people to spend wisely and save fuel in view of the war in West Asia.
The chief minister's convoy now has only four vehicles, including two EVs.
