Famous Kolkata restaurant causes outrage for being Racist

The famous restaurant in Kolkata, Mocambo caused outrage on the internet, after a visitor was not allowed to enter. Mocambo restaurant is 60 years old and iconic.

A visitor to the city, Dilshan Hemnani, has claimed it to be “racist” for not letting her driver in for dinner on Friday. Her Facebook post on the incident has gone viral with over 10,000 reactions, 16,000 shares, and over 3,000 comments.

She posted:

“How shallow and inhuman have we become?

” Last night was my last day in Kolkata decided to try out this popular restaurant 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 were 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).

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.

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 restaurant.

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 behavior 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 into your racist restaurant walks away with Manish bhaiya with deep grief in my heart on how Inhuman and shallow the world has become.

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 Rs275  a day for 12 hours of driving, and sends more than 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 than any I know.

To Mocambo staff and restaurant 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 restaurant.”

People took the issue to social media and poured their outrage saying:
“Boycott Mocambo,” wrote Siddharth Rodrigues and hundreds of others

The anger is spilling outside the cyberspace as well. Food blogger Poorna Banerjee said, “I have seen really badly dressed, dirtily dressed people walk into Mocambo. So that’s no excuse. This is just terrible bias. Doubly shameful because we are in Kolkata, a liberal city with a soul.”

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