A Delhi-based restobar has come under fire after allegedly refusing entry to a couple dressed in traditional Indian attire. The incident, which occurred on August 3 at Tubata Bar and Restaurant in Pitam Pura, sparked outrage online after a video shared by the couple went viral.
(Also read: ‘Bhai Manga Le’: Delhi restaurant leaves internet in splits, gets shout-out from Zomato)
In the now-circulating video, the man is seen wearing a t-shirt and trousers, while the woman is dressed in a salwar-kurta. The couple claimed they were stopped at the entrance solely because of their ethnic attire, even as others in western or revealing outfits were allowed inside. "Ye kapde kharab hai kya?" which translates to "Are these clothes bad?" the man is heard asking in the video. He further stated, “The restaurant denied entry to us and allowed people who were wearing shorts.”
Another individual, filming the scene, raised a sharp question: “This restaurant only wants people who show their legs. If our Hon’ble President or Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi, who are women themselves, visit here wearing a saree, will they still stop her from entering?”
Check out the video here:
{{/usCountry}}Check out the video here:
{{/usCountry}}No response from restaurant, but policy reversal confirmed
HT.com reached out to the restaurant for a statement, but there was no response at the time of publishing. This story will be updated once a response is received.
Meanwhile, Delhi Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra addressed the incident on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “The operators of this Pitampura restaurant have accepted that they will no longer impose any restrictions based on attire and will welcome citizens coming in Indian attire.”
Check out the post here:
Users voice anger over ‘discrimination’
The video, which triggered widespread criticism, drew strong reactions across social media. One user commented, “This is pure discrimination against Indian culture.” Another called it “a colonial mindset still lingering in our hospitality sector.” A third user wrote, “So western clothes are progressive and Indian attire is backward?”
One more user added, “These restaurants need to be boycotted until they learn to respect diversity in dressing.”