Activists of Kozhikodan Koottayma stage a protest in front of Hotel Sea Queen in Kozhikode on Wednesday

KOZHIKODE: Activists under the banner of Kozhikodan Koottayma staged a protest in front of the Hotel Sea Queen here on Wednesday protesting the refusal by the management to admit a lungi-clad youth to its premium restaurant.

Kareem Chelembra alleged that he was restrained from going to the rooftop restaurant as he was wearing a lungi on Saturday night. "I, along with my friend, went to the hotel but a staff member prevented me from going to the restaurant. He told me that persons wearing lungi cannot be admitted," said Kareem.

"I asked them whether I will be admitted if I remove the lungi and remain in my underwear. The staff said yes and I removed the lungi. Even then I was not allowed to go in," Kareem said.

Kareem said he wanted the staff to give in writing that lungi-clad persons are not allowed inside the restaurant. "After getting it in writing, I left the hotel and preferred a complaint with the police the next day. To decide what we wear is our fundamental right. We organised a protest in front of the hotel which was attended by activists like Shajil Thamarassery, O P Raveendran and Abdul Majeed," he said.

Hotel Sea Queen management, however, clarified that it is the policy of the hotel not to admit people wearing lungi to the rooftop restaurant which is exclusively for families. "The person was in an inebriated mood and he shouted at the staff when he was informed about the hotel policy," said a manager of the hotel.

"We have two bars and there are no restrictions in them. But the rooftop bar is our prime area. Lots of families, including women, visit the restaurant," he said.

"The CCTV footage will clearly tell what actually transpired at the reception. The person was standing there in his inner wear. We cannot allow such a person to the restaurant where there are women," said the manager.

He added that the person tried to give a communal twist to the whole episode by claiming that he was denied permission because he was wearing the lungi the way Muslims wear. "He repeated the lie when we were summoned by police. Fortunately, the receptionist at the counter was also a Muslim. The group is spreading the same lie in the social media too," said the manager.



In Video: Kozhikode: Protest held against hotel for refusing to admit youth in lungi