A hotel in Bengaluru has denied hosting an interfaith couple because “it is not acceptable for a Muslim and a Hindu to stay together”, reports said.
In what can only be described as a bigoted move, Shafeek Subaida Hakkim and Divya DV from Kerala were denied a room by the hotel receptionist because Hakkim is a Muslim and Divya is a Hindu.
“He noted the names in the register and then realised that I am a Muslim, while my wife is Hindu. He asked us if we were married as we follow different religions. When I confirmed that we were in fact married, he refused to give us a single room saying that it is not acceptable for a Muslim and a Hindu to stay together,” Shafeek told the news portal.
“The receptionist just kept saying that since I am a Muslim and Divya is a Hindu, he could not give us a room together. It was already 7 am and Divya had an interview at 2 pm. We were helpless and shocked. We could not waste any more time arguing with the man and decided to look for a room in another hotel,” he added.
The receptionist, on being contacted stated that he didn’t give them a room because got “suspicious” of them.
“His ID said Shafeek, her ID said Divya. That’s why I got suspicious, and I told them I wouldn’t give them a room and sent them away,” the receptionist said.
“We don’t give rooms to Muslims and Hindus who come together, because what if they go into the room and hang themselves… Why do we need that trouble,” he said.
On being asked why he was worried about them committing suicide of all things, he said: “I’m not saying they’ll commit suicide because they’re a Hindu-Muslim couple. But ordinarily, in villages, it doesn’t happen. I grew up in a village. There, Hindus don’t get married to Muslim women, and Muslims don’t get married to Hindu women.”
The move has not gone down well with netizens who have taken to google reviews to air their views and mark the Olive Residency on Annipuram Main Road very low in the rating scale.
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