Dalit says Udaipur hotel refused entry

A social worker associated with the NGO Prayas alleged that he was not allowed to enter Lake Palace , a five-star hotel in Udaipur , because he was a dalit. “I have lodged an FIR against the hotel management,” said Mr. Kanhayalal Sanwaria. The hotel management, however, denied this. “We are looking into the matter. It is under investigation,” said Ghantaghar police station SHO Sunil in Udaipur .  The hotel management was not ready to give its version of the incident. When this correspondent contacted the hotel, the staff said it was busy. But the hotel's security manager, Mr Virendra Singh, told local media persons no such incident had come to light.  According to Mr Sanwaria, the incident occurred on October 25 when he reached the hotel with a group of 12 persons, including a few foreign delegates. “We got ourselves booked at the hotel. When I reached there, a hotel staff member asked me to meet the manager. The manager told me I was not allowed to enter the hotel because I was wearing sandals,” Mr Sanwaria said.  “It is very unfortunate that I was not allowed because I am a dalit,” he said.

(Source: Asian Age, November 3, 2007)