A viral video circulating on social media has sparked debate around the dress codes enforced by certain restaurants and clubs. The video was reportedly shot outside Tubata, a restaurant located in Saraswati Vihar, Pitampura, Delhi. In the clip, a middle-aged couple is seen standing outside the restaurant, claiming they were denied entry. The reason, according to them: the woman was wearing a suit, and her Indian attire was allegedly against the restaurant's dress code.
Watch the video here:
Kapil Mishra, Cabinet Minister in the Delhi government, shared the video on his official X handle and wrote, "This is unacceptable in Delhi. A video has surfaced showing a ban on Indian attire at a restaurant in Pitampura. This is unacceptable. CM @gupta\_rekha ji has taken serious note of the incident. Officials have been directed to investigate the incident and take immediate action."
In a follow-up tweet, Kapil Mishra posted videos of the restaurant owner Neeraj Aggarwal and manager Narender Singh, in which they issued clarification that their restaurant does not restrict entry based on dress code.
Neeraj Aggarwal said, "All guests in all dress codes are welcome to our outlet. I invite people, whether from North India or South India, to our family restaurant and enjoy."
The restaurant manager added that on Raksha Bandhan, they will also offer a 10 per cent discount and a complimentary dessert to women at their restaurant, irrespective of attire.
The initial viral video has triggered outrage online, with many questioning why Indian clothing would be disallowed at a restaurant in India.
One user commented, "Their dress code is like - no entry if you look like you actually belong to the country." Another wrote, "Please give one 1-star rating on Google Maps and see how they bend." A third added, "Some of our people are still colonised mentally."
However, some users argued that the restaurant is within its rights to set its own rules.
"We need to stop making an issue out of everything and grow up. That's a private restaurant, and they have every right to decide who enters and wears what. It's not public property that everyone can claim rights to. It does not mean they are disrespecting the attire," one user said.
Another wrote, "What is the issue in this? Every restaurant has a dress code. Creating an issue of nothing. There are thousands more restaurants to visit."
A third user added, "So? In Australia, some restaurants deny you entry if you are not dressed in formal attire. Even smart casuals are not allowed. And they do it regardless of ethnicity. It is the right of the restaurant to deny based on the dress code they have set."