Mumbai, December 30: Renowned artist and author Subhash Awchat is planning to lodge a complaint against the Taj Hotel management because he was reportedly not allowed to enter the five-star hotel in Colaba on Sunday citing security reasons.
According to Awchat, he had gone to the Taj to meet a group of friends. However, he was turned back by the security guards at the entrance. “The guards stopped me, and when I told them that I am going for a coffee, they said the coffee shop is closed. The management then asked to book a table before being allowed into the luxury hotel,” he said.
Awchat claimed that he even offered to show his identity proof to the staff, but they did not even bother. “I am exploring the possibility of taking legal action against the hotel,” he said. Awchat has also written a letter to Taj’s owner, Ratan Tata, about the incident.
Nikhila Palat, public relation officer of Taj Hotel, said the incident was the result of a tight security check in place due to the visit of a high-profile delegation. “We didn’t do anything to hurt Subhash Awchat’s sentiments. There was a VIP delegation present in the hotel and we had to take extreme security measures. He was not the only individual who was stopped. Only those guests who had a table booked in the hotel were allowed to enter,” said Palat.
Commenting on the issue, Shiv Sena MP Bharatkumar Raut said, “It is shameful incident. If the security ill-treated and prevented his entry despite him showing his identity card, it exposes their mind set. What is appalling is that those guarding the hotel, and the establishment, often get swayed by the looks of an individual. Not surprisingly then, nobody questioned David Headley when he stayed at the Taj post-26/11, but genuine Mumbaikars get a raw deal. It is sad. I wonder what our home minister RR Patil has to say about the issue.”
–Agencies–