In a curious turn of events, Delhi Restaurant Aquila was reported closed over license issue. Earlier, the restaurant had denied entry to a saree clad woman and had garnered immense notoriety. What followed was allegations on both sides. While the restaurant claimed that the woman had slapped a staffer, the woman denied all allegations.

However, the matter now comes to a bleak point where the restaurant was directed to be shut by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation as it didn’t have health trade license.

Contents hide
1. Details
2. The Facts of the Matter
3. Restaurant Operated Under Unhygienic Conditions
4. “Shall not Run Restaurant and Create Nuisance”: Restaurant Owner
5. Congress Councilor’s Demand of Rs. 5 Lakhs
6. What was the Whole Controversy About?

Details

In this day of social media and outrage, even a piece of clothing of six-yards could end up shutting a restaurant down. Earlier last week, the entire nation was collectively singing praise of sarees and was having conversation about post-colonization hangover that diminished the importance of sarees.

The reason? A woman in Delhi was denied to enter a restaurant for wearing saree as it was not part of ‘smart-casual’ category of outfit. That restaurant has now been ordered to shut – for ‘license issues’.

Also Read: Woman Claims Restaurant Denied Entry Over Wearing Saree, CCTV Footage Shows Her Slapping Staff

The Facts of the Matter

After immediate outrage, South Delhi restaurant Aquila was directed to shut. The South Delhi civic authorities found out that the restaurant was operating without health trade license. Earlier the restaurant drew flak for not letting a woman enter as she was wearing a saree. Video of the staffers shooing away the patron rudely made rounds of the internet.

Restaurant Operated Under Unhygienic Conditions

Earlier, the public health inspector of South Delhi took cognizance of the fact that the restaurant ran under ‘unhygienic conditions. Further, a notice was also slapped on the restaurant for operating on public land under encroachment.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation issued a notice to the restaurant which read, “The public health inspector again inspected the site on September 24 and found that the trade is running under the same condition. You are directed to close the trade within 48 hours of the receipt of this notice failing which suitable action including sealing will be taken without assigning further notice.”

Also Read: Saree Controversy: Woman Denies Slapping Delhi Restaurant Staff, NCW Seeks Probe into Matter

“Shall not Run Restaurant and Create Nuisance”: Restaurant Owner

The restaurant owner accepted the notice and issued a statement which read, “I have closed-down the above said trade immediately and I shall not run the same trade without SDMC Trade Licence under insanitary condition from health point of view and create nuisance.”

Congress Councilor’s Demand of Rs. 5 Lakhs

The issue came into the light when a Congress councilor Abhishek Dutt demanded Rs. 5 lakhs to be imposed against any eatery, restaurant or hotel that denied a person who wore Indian outfits such as sarees, etc.

“The restaurant was running illegally without a license. The notice was issued after I raised the issue. Now, authorities inform that the restaurant has been shut. It is a matter of probe how the restaurant was running without a license,” he was quoted by media saying.

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What was the Whole Controversy About?

Earlier last week, a video took the nation by storm where she could be seen not being able to enter the South Delhi restaurant as she was wearing saree. The staff of the restaurant told the woman that she was wearing saree which was not part of the ‘smart-casual’ dress code restaurant abided by.

After the immediate backlash that the restaurant received, it issued a statement where it claimed that the issue was ‘misrepresented’. According to the restaurant, the customer was asked to wait as she had no reservation. However, the saree-clad woman slapped the restaurant manager, the restaurant alleged.

The restaurant also shared a CCTV video footage of the woman’s alleged attack on the staff.

 

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These allegations were dismissed by the woman in question. The woman shared screenshot of the reservation confirmation that was sent to her by the restaurant.

She further pointed out that the footage released had no date or time stamp to establish credibility.