Police, hotel deny issuing 'diktat' to NE staff during Xi Jinping visit
Source: The Sangai Express / Press Trust of India
Ahmedabad, September 22 2014:
Hours after the Union Home Ministry ordered a probe into reports that employees of an Ahmedabad hotel from the North East were asked to stay away from duty during Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent visit, the city police and hotel management have denied issuing any such instruction.
"I am not aware of any such diktat given by police to the hotel authorities about their staff.
We were just concerned about the Tibetans," said Joint Commissioner of Police (JCP)-Crime AK Sharma.
JCP of Special Branch Vikas Sahay too said he was not aware of any such order having been issued.
The Management of hotel Hyatt Ahmedabad expressed surprise over the reports and claimed all staffers, including those from the North East, did duty on September 17 when Xi had a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi there.
"There was no such order given to the hotel staff on that day.
All staff, including those from the North East, was present in the hotel and doing duty when Chinese President arrived.
I am surprised as to how such baseless reports are doing the rounds," said Marketing Manager of Hyatt Ahmedabad Ayesha Mishra.
Earlier in the day, the Home Ministry had asked the Intelligence Bureau to ascertain the veracity of reports about the order and, if it was indeed issued, who did it and why.
Last week, taking umbrage at the reports, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had said, "It is an insult to the North East.
They doubted us as if we are not patriots.
Are we not citizens of India? This is not good for the region" .