News
Travel
Kolkata's Mocambo fine dining restaurant faces backlash after "racism" post goes viral

13 Sep 2016, 12:24 pm

Kolkata's Mocambo fine dining restaurant faces backlash after
Kolkata, Sept 13 (NITN): Mocambo, a popular fine dining restaurant in Kolkata's Park Street area, is facing the wrath of netizens after a Facebook post, where a lady customer alleged discrimination and barring of her driver to enter the eatery, went viral.

Narrating the incident in her Facebook post, Dilashi Hemnani, Marketing Manager at Tata Motors said that therestaurant denied her entry as she was accompanied by her driver, who the restaurant manager dismissed as 'not aptly dressed'.

"How shallow and inhuman have we become ?" her post read.

"Last night being my last day in Kolkata decided to try out this popular restraunt called Mocambo' at Park Street .I decided to go with my driver -Manish bhaiya here whose great service and care throughout my stay in Kolkata for a week was excellent . ( Also yesterday afternoon he missed his lunch because I forgot to tell him to go for lunch - uncertain about the time it would take me to finish the meeting -he missed his lunch )," it added.

"Guilty of my mistake . I decided to go out for dinner with him .

As soon as I reached Mocambo at around 8:40 PM . I asked the staff to give me a table for 2."

Posting a transcript of the conversation she had with a waiter, read, 
 
"Staff : There is a waiting of 15 minutes .

Me : *as excited I was to try out this popular joint *happily agreed

Staff :* by this time they observed I was with Manish bhaiya * walked up to me and said it will take 45 minutes for the table to get ready .
Me : *little confused by time communicated *earlier ...now eagerly asked but you said 15 minutes

Staff : yes the table was going to get empty but they ordered for more food 
Me : *peeping through the glass windows *but I can see some empty tables inside .
Staff : they are four seaters.. today is Friday we cannot give that table .
Me: ok

After waiting for 10-15 minutes . When I see people who came after me getting the table .

Me : why are you not giving me the table ?
Staff : Maam we can't give you a table 
Me : But why ?
Staff : who are you with 
Me : subtly pointing towards Manish bhaiya .
Staff : aahhh....Maam he is not properly dressed .

Me : * he was cleanly dressed in a cream trouser and a shirt tucked out .. And floaters * 
I asked what is your dress code ?
Staff : we don't have a dress code .
Me : then ??
Staff :No No he is not properly dressed it's a fine dine restraunt 
Me : *agitated by now *what's wrong with his dressing tell me and is there a written dress code he is not following ?

By this time Manish bhaiya understood parts of the conversation in English and by the daunting looks of the staff -walks up to me and says - 'Didi hum Nahi Khaenge aap Khana Kha lijiyega na '

Me : * hurt with his innocence and inhuman inconsiderate behaviour of the staff at Mocambo *
Me : call your manager give me a valid reason why he cannot come in . 
Staff : goes and calls another person 
Me : sir why can't he come in ?
Staff : because he is drunk 
Me : *furious and baffled with the audacity of the staff *How do you know he is drunk ?
Staff : because my other colleague told me he is so 
Me : on what basis due you make such assumptions . Did he drink in front of you or did you even go near him * they were standing 2-3 meters apart *He is driving me around since 8 o clock in the morning leave apart being drunk he is not even had food 
Staff : but I know he is drunk 
Me : prove it then 
Me : what's your name 
Staff : I can't tell you my name 
Me : why ?
Staff : No No I can't it's just I can't let you in with him 

Me : I Don't want to get in to your racist restraunt walks away with Manish bhaiya with deep grief in my heart on how Inhuman and shallow the world has become :( 

Her post further added, "Manish bhaiya is one of the finest human beings I have met in a long time he took good care of me and did his duty with all his heart .He is a simple man make 275 Rs a day for 12 hours of driving and sends more then half of the money back home . he has a difficult life Still he laughs a lot shares a lot of stories and is more human and empathetic then any I know .

To Mocambo staff and restraunt at Park Street Kolkata Which doesn't consider human as human and differentiates, discriminates and stratifies them into classes just because he doesn't fit into your description of a perfect customer . ( doesn't own a iPhone maybe doesn't talk in English ) I m sorry you don't deserve a fine human like Manish bhaiya sitting and eating in your racist restraunt ." (sic)

The post has receive over 28 thousand likes with people calling for Mocambo's head.

Indrani Basu, a Kolkata based educator posted, "I always love going to Mocambo....but the restaurant who [which] discriminates people on the basis of their so called low status is not a restaurant fit for going.....in spite of its good food.....shame on the people who discriminates on the basis of financial condition of a person....." 

While some have suggested boycotting as a measure, others have prescribed a more extremist stand of bulldozing therestaurant.

People have also poked fun at the 'dress code' fiasco and asked if the Bengal Chief Minister, who wears simple attires, can have a meal there.

"Mocambo..What about our CM' She is very ordinary dressed woman' Can you guys do the same with her? #Racist #Shame," Arit Ghosh, a chemistry honours student posted on Facebook.
 
Mocambo has not reacted yet on the controversy. 

IndiGo connects Bengaluru t ...

Indian airline IndiGo has announced the launch of daily direct flights connecting Bengaluru, Karnataka with Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, effective from December 31, 2024.

Jazeera Airways offers 50% ...

Jazeera Airways, Kuwait’s leading low-cost carrier, is offering 50% off on fares to all destinations across its network from July 28 to 31.

Air India Express launches ...

New Delhi : Air India Express, a subsidiary of Air India and a part of the Tata group, has launched its "Time to Travel" sale on the airline’s website, airindiaexpress.com, the Air India Express mobile app and other major booking channels.