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Mint
6 days ago
- Mint
‘Bengal same as Bangladesh': Kolkata father, son denied Noida hotel room; OYO drops property
An IT professional and his 14-year-old son from Newtown in West Bengal's Kolkata were allegedly refused a room by a hotel in Sector 44 of Noida and their booking was cancelled because they were Bengali, according to The Times of India report. The incident took place at Meera Eternity hotel on Tuesday. The boy, a skater, had travelled with his father to participate in a skating championship in Noida. According to the TOI report citing the IT professional, his booking, done via OYO for a two-night stay, was cancelled by the receptionist, who allegedly said the local police had asked hotels not to allow guests from Bangladesh, Punjab, or Jammu & Kashmir until 15 August due to security concerns. 'I told them we are from West Bengal, not Bangladesh. But the receptionist insisted it was the same thing and refused to accommodate us,' the father told TOI. The father said he made several calls to OYO before a customer care executive finally answered and assured him the amount would be refunded within 7–10 days. 'I had no choice but to check into another hotel in Sector 49, far from the arena,' he said, adding that he had originally booked the Sector 44 hotel for its proximity to the skating rink, where registrations were scheduled to begin early Wednesday. OYO has apologised for the incident and said the hotel, Meera Eternity, had been removed from its platform the same day. An internal inquiry has also been ordered, it added. 'OYO has neither received nor issued any directive to hotels to impose such restrictions. We do not endorse any form of discrimination,' OYO said in a statement to TOI. Noida DCP Yamuna Prasad told TOI there was no official instruction from Noida Police directing hotels to deny entry to people from Bengal or any other state. 'Hotels are told to check the ID and visa documents of people from Bangladesh, but there is no directive to disallow even Bangladeshi residents if they have proper papers,' Prasad said.
Scroll.in
6 days ago
- Scroll.in
Noida hotel denies room to Bengali techie, son citing police directive not to allow ‘Bangladeshis'
A Noida hotel registered with hotel aggregation company Oyo Rooms denied accommodation to a Bengali technology professional and his son, claiming that the police had directed it not to accept bookings from persons from Bangladesh till Independence Day for security reasons, The Times of India reported on Wednesday. The man and his 14-year-old son, a national-level skater, had travelled from Kolkata to Noida as the teenager was to participate in a sporting competition, the newspaper reported. The father told the newspaper that he was informed by the receptionist about a purported police directive barring guests from Bangladesh, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir until August 15. 'I was surprised,' he said. 'I said we were not Bangladeshis but were from West Bengal. But the receptionist said it was the same thing and that he wouldn't let us in.' He further claimed that only after making several calls to Oyo Rooms, did the customer care executive agree to refund the payment within 7 to 10 days. The incident took place at the Meera Eternity in Noida's Sector 44. In response to the incident, an unidentified official from Oyo Rooms said the hotel had been taken off its platform on the same day, adding that a probe had been initiated in the matter. 'OYO has neither received or given any such guideline to hotels on its platform,' The Times of India quoted the official as saying. 'OYO does not promote any form of discrimination.' Noida Deputy Commissioner of Police Yamuna Prasad said that no orders have been issued to hotels in the city not to accept persons from Bengal or other Indian states. He further clarified that while hotels have been instructed to check identification and visa documents of persons from Bangladesh, 'there is no directive to disallow stay to even Bangladeshi residents if they have proper papers'. This comes amid the Trinamool Congress raising concerns about several Bengali-speaking migrant workers being targeted in parts of the country on suspicion of being Bangladeshis. Since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, the police in several states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party have been detaining Bengali-speaking persons – mostly Muslims – and asking them to prove that they are Indian citizens.
Economic Times
6 days ago
- Economic Times
Kolkata techie denied accommodation at Noida hotel for being Bengali
(Representative image) A techie from New Town, Kolkata, and his 14-year-old son were allegedly denied accommodation at a hotel in Noida's Sector 44 on Tuesday, reportedly on the grounds of being Bengali. The son, a national level skater, was in the city to participate in a championship. According to the father, who had booked a two night stay at the hotel via OYO, the receptionist refused check-in, stating that local police had instructed hotels not to allow guests from Bangladesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir to stay until August 15 due to security concerns. Speaking to TOI, the father said, 'The receptionist said the local police instructed them not to allow any guest from Bangladesh, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. I was surprised. I said we were not Bangladeshis but were from West Bengal. But the receptionist said it was the same thing and that he wouldn't let us in.'The guest claimed he made multiple calls to OYO's customer service, and eventually, a representative informed him that his payment would be refunded within 7 to 10 days. He then arranged alternative accommodation in Sector 49, farther from the event venue. He had originally chosen the Sector 44 hotel because of its proximity to the skating rink, where event registrations were scheduled to begin early the next morning. OYO later issued an apology and confirmed that the hotel, Meera Eternity, had been removed from its platform the same day. An inquiry was also initiated. In its statement, OYO clarified, 'OYO has neither received nor given any such guideline to hotels on its platform. OYO does not promote any form of discrimination.' When contacted, Noida DCP Yamuna Prasad said no such instructions were issued by the police. 'Hotels are told to check ID and visa documents of people from Bangladesh, but there is no directive to disallow stay to even Bangladeshi residents if they have proper papers,' he told TOI, adding that no restrictions were in place against Indian citizens from any state.(With inputs from TOI)
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Bengali row: Noida hotel turns away New Town techie, son
Kolkata: A techie from New Town, along with his 14-year-old son, was on Tuesday allegedly denied stay at a hotel at Sector 44 in Noida, apparently for being a Bengali. The teenaged boy is a national-level skater, attending a championship in Noida. The father claimed the hotel receptionist cancelled his booking—he made reservations through OYO for two nights—claiming the local police station had instructed them not to allow anyone from Bangladesh, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir to stay at hotels till Aug 15 for security reasons. The man told TOI, "The receptionist said the local police instructed them not to allow any guest from Bangladesh, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. I was surprised. I said we were not Bangladeshis but were from West Bengal. But the receptionist said it was the same thing and that he wouldn't let us in," he said. The father said he made multiple calls to OYO. "The customer care executive finally took the call and said they would refund my amount in 7-10 days. I had no other option but to check into another hotel in Sector 49, far from the arena," he said, adding he had booked the earlier hotel in Sector 44 as it was near the skating rink, where registrations would begin early Wednesday. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Gold Rates Today in Kolkata | Silver Rates Today in Kolkata An OYO official issued an apology and stated the hotel —Meera Eternity—was removed from the booking platform on Tuesday itself and that an inquiry was initiated. "OYO has neither received or given any such guideline to hotels on its platform. OYO does not promote any form of discrimination..." OYO said in a statement. Noida DCP Yamuna Prasad told TOI there had been no official instruction from the Noida Police to hotels to deny entry to people from Bengal or any other state. "Hotels are told to check ID and visa documents of people from Bangladesh but there is no directive to disallow stay to even Bangladeshi residents if they have proper papers," said Prasad. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Supreme Court issues notice to Centre, examine PIL for ‘income-based' reservation system for SC, STs
The Supreme Court Monday agreed to examine a petition seeking income-based distribution of reservation benefits within the quota for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) so that the poorest among them get preference. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by Ramashankar Prajapati, a member of the OBC community, and Yamuna Prasad, who belongs to the SC community. The petitioners contended that the existing system, 'by failing to differentiate between the well-off and the economically deprived within these communities, has inadvertently perpetuated inequalities and hindered the true objectives of affirmative action.' Issuing notice to the Centre on the plea, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi told the petitioners that they 'must be ready to face lots of opposition' given that both sides have 'very strong opinions'. Appearing for the petitioners, Advocate Reena S Singh said they are 'requesting that reservation should be prioritised based on economic criteria'. 'We are not disturbing the percentage of the reservation…'. Singh submitted that justice is not only in the law but in ensuring that the person who receives help is the one who needs it the most. 'Reservations disproportionately benefited a select few' The petitioners said that by 'introducing an income-based prioritisation mechanism within SC, ST reservations, the proposed framework aims to prioritise opportunities for the most disadvantaged individuals amongst the SC-ST communities'. 'The necessity of such an approach stems from the fact that over the past 75 years, reservations have disproportionately benefited a select few within the reserved categories, creating intra-community economic disparities and failing to achieve holistic upliftment,' said the petition. 'The reservation system was established as a tool for social justice, aimed at rectifying centuries of discrimination and socio-economic deprivation faced by marginalised communities. However, the economic realities within SC, ST and OBC groups have significantly changed over time. A small percentage of families within these communities have gained access to quality education, stable employment and economic mobility, thereby securing a generational advantage. In contrast, a vast majority within SC, ST and OBC groups continue to struggle with financial hardships and lack of access to essential resources such as quality education, healthcare and employment opportunities.' The petitioners said the 'lack of an economic criterion within SC/ST reservations has enabled certain families to monopolise benefits over generations, while those in need struggle to break free from the cycle of poverty'. 'Despite the implementation of reservations for over seven decades, many individuals from SC/ST backgrounds continue to face severe economic hardships. The persistence of poverty within these communities indicates that affirmative action in its current form is insufficient to facilitate socio-economic upliftment without targeted economic interventions. They pointed out that a 'small but influential section of SC/ST families' has 'successfully leveraged reservations to attain high-ranking government positions, financial stability and quality education'. 'This has led to intra-community economic stratification, where the relatively affluent continue to benefit from reservations at the expense of those who remain in financial distress.' 'While political reservations have resulted in significant representation of SC/ST individuals in legislatures, the economic and educational benefits remain concentrated within privileged sections of these communities. The political empowerment of SC/ST leaders has not necessarily translated into widespread socio-economic development for the entire community.' 'Balanced approach' They said to address 'the systemic inefficiencies' of the current reservation policy, 'a balanced approach must be adopted, integrating an economic criterion within the existing framework'. 'A system similar to the 'creamy layer' concept in OBC reservations should be introduced for SC/ST reservations. This would ensure that only the genuinely disadvantaged sections of these communities continue to receive state support. Families exceeding a certain income and asset threshold should be excluded from availing reservation benefits, thereby preventing monopolisation of opportunities by relatively well-off individuals.' They also pointed out a few measure, including financial assistance to economically disadvantaged students 'to enable them to access quality education', specialised training programs 'to enhance the employability of individuals from the poorest sections of SC/ST communities', and that Government-backed initiatives should be 'designed to support entrepreneurship within marginalised communities ensuring economic self-sufficiency and reducing dependency on government employment.' The plea also referred to the August 2024 ruling of the Supreme Court's Constitution Bench, which said SCs can be sub-classified for the purpose of reservation
