A recent incident from Gurugram has come to light where a person with a disability has alleged that a restaurant name Raasta Gurgaon, denied her entry to the restaurant.
In a Twitter post, Srishti Pandey narrated the incident about how the staff barred her from entering the restaurant, as it would disturb other customers.
— Srishti (she/her🏳🌈) (@Srishhhh_tea) February 12, 2022
Here’s what happened:
I went to my @raastagurgaon with my best friend and her fam last night. This was one of my first outings in so long and I wanted to have fun. Bhaiya (my friend’s elder brother) asked for a table for four. The staff at the desk ignored him twice.
The third time he asked, the staff replied with "wheelchair andar nahi jaygi" (The wheelchair can't go inside).
— Srishti (she/her🏳🌈) (@Srishhhh_tea) February 12, 2022
We thought it was an accessibility issue, but it wasn't. We told him that we'd manage, just book us a table. What he said next left all of shocked for a while. 2/n
After ignoring the request twice to arrange the table, the restaurant staff apparenty said: “andar customers disturb hojaynge.”
He told us pointing towards me that "andar customers disturb hojaynge" (The customers will get disturbed) and denied us entry, with so much of ease. This came from the staff of a freaking fancy place. 3/n
— Srishti (she/her🏳🌈) (@Srishhhh_tea) February 12, 2022
Later the restaurant allotted them a table outside where the seating was bad, and it was cold outside.
After a lot of arguing, he told us to get a table outside.
— Srishti (she/her🏳🌈) (@Srishhhh_tea) February 12, 2022
Now:
1) The outside seating was ridiculous. It was getting cold. And I can't sit out in cold for long because my body gets spastic. It's literally unsafe for me? 4/n
2) Why should I be made to sit outside anyway? segregated from everyone else? If we wanted an outside seating we would have asked for it?
— Srishti (she/her🏳🌈) (@Srishhhh_tea) February 12, 2022
Eventually we were asked to leave. Obviously. 5/n
But is me just existing that much of a disturbance for you? Why do I always have to fight for the smallest of things? Why was I DENIED entry in a public place? Who are they to deny my entry just like that?
Should I stop going out at all only then? Because apparently I don't belong with others. Because I'm a "disturbance" for others. Because their moods apparently get "ruined" after looking at me.
— Srishti (she/her🏳🌈) (@Srishhhh_tea) February 12, 2022
I am heartbroken. Awfully sad. And I feel disgusted. 7/n
After the Twitter thread went viral, the restaurant took to Instagram to issue an apology. Here’s what it said:
But Twitter believes apologies are not enough for this kind of behaviour.
Personal apologies will not be enough for this insensitive behaviour! What are u doing to ensure such incidents do happen in future?
— Manish Panicker (@marc86443996) February 13, 2022
You guys cannot even imagine what irreparable damage you have done to an individual’s dignity and self-confidence.
— Neon Pixel Network – Media & Branding Strategy (@sanjusk04) February 13, 2022
If you and your staff could feel that, that’s the best apology, and your path to redemption. It also shows that the foundation of your business is very weak.
Not enough
— Vibhas Sen (@vibhassen) February 13, 2022
You should offer them a good dining experience with pick up and drop service. What your staff has done is unappologeitc. He alone cannot take suc decisions, for obvious reasons he must have been instructed to do so.
— Sumit (@Sumitt_T) February 13, 2022
It’s high time we become more sensitive and dismantle such problematic behaviours.
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