Couple denied room by Bengaluru hotel for belonging to different religions

The Hindu-Muslim couple from Kerala have been married for seven years

Citing policy, a hotel in Bengaluru refused to give a room for a couple simply because they belonged to different religions. Shafeek Subaida Hakkim and his wife Divya D V arrived in Bengaluru on Tuesday and tried to avail a room only to be told that the hotel does not give rooms to couples from different religious backgrounds.

Hakkim, a journalist had accompanied his wife of seven years Divya who was to attend an interview in Bengaluru. Divya was to appear for an interview for the post of assistant professor at National Law School in Bengaluru. The couple took a bus from Kerala and reached Bengaluru's Shantinagar bus station. They arrived at around 7 AM While the interview was at 2 PM and the couple decided to rest in a hotel for a while. They approached a hotel near the bus stand.

While the hotel staff did not raise any qualms at first, all hell broke loose after the receptionist took their identity cards for verification. On noting their names, the receptionist refused to give the couple a room citing that they belonged to different religions. Despite attempts by the couple to explain that they were married and had never faced such an issue, the hotel staff cited policy to refuse the couple a room.

The altercation was caught on CCTV camera where Divya is seen raising questions on the hotel staff' behaviour and justification for denying them a room. The couple is then seen walking away from the hotel's reception counter.

The hotel, however, rubbished the couple's claims and said that they were suspicious. "They produced identity cards but had no luggage. They asked for a room for half an hour and it seemed suspicious. They should have conveyed to us the purpose of their visit and we would have allowed them but giving rooms to people on hourly basis is not possible," said the hotel's manager.

OneIndia News