Amid the ongoing controversy over the movie ‘The Kashmir Files’, a Kashmiri man has been allegedly denied room by a hotel in Delhi after which Oyo Rooms removed it from the platform.
In a roughly 2 minute video of the purported incident, the Kashmiri man is seen arguing with the woman at the reception why they were denying him the room booked by him online. The woman after apparently speaking with the hotel owner tells the Kashmiri man that the local police had directed them not to allow J&K residents into the hotel after which the man leaves.
Impact of #KashmirFiles on ground.
Delhi Hotel denies accommodation to kashmiri man, despite provided id and other documents. Is being a kashmiri a Crime. @Nidhi @ndtv @TimesNow @vijaita @zoo_bear @kaushikrj6 @_sayema @alishan_jafri @_sayema @manojkjhadu @MahuaMoitra pic.twitter.com/x2q8A5fXpo
— Nasir Khuehami (ناصر کہویہامی) (@NasirKhuehami) March 23, 2022
In a video shot by the man, he can be heard saying: “I booked the room with Oyo Hotels. Why are you not accepting my Aadhaar card? I can give other IDs like a passport.” To this, the woman at the counter replies, “Sir, passport Kaha ka hai?”
The man says it is from Kashmir and asks why they are not accepting his ID. When he asks the woman to give him a reason, she says: “We have been asked by police to not allow anyone with a J&K ID.”
Delhi Police
Responding to the hotel’s claim that it was asked by the Delhi Police to not give accommodations to Kashmiris. The Delhi Police yesterday night issued a clarification in a series of tweets and said that they did not give any such directions to the hotels in Delhi.
“A purported video is viral on social media wherein a person is being denied hotel reservation due to his J&K ID. Reason for cancellation is being given as direction from police… no such direction has been given… willful misrepresentation can attract penal action,” Delhi Police tweeted.
“Some netizens are trying to discredit the image of Delhi Police through willful misrepresentation of the video in circulation which can attract penal action,” the Delhi Police further said.
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.
It is clarified that no such direction has been given by Delhi Police.(1/3)@ANI @PTI_News— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) March 23, 2022
Oyo Response Against Hotel
Soon after the video went viral on social media, Oyo Rooms took cognizance of the matter. They removed the hotel from its platform immediately.
Responding to Khuehami’s tweet, Oyo Rooms issued a clarification and wrote: “We are appalled that this happened. We have taken the hotel off our platform immediately.
“Our rooms and our hearts are open for everyone, always. This is not something that we will compromise on, ever. We will check what compelled the hotel to deny check-in. We thank you for bringing this to our notice,” the hotel aggregator said further.
— OYO4U (@OYO4U) March 23, 2022