Chinese President Xi Jinping and PM Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad
The union home ministry has asked for a report on whether a hotel in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Gujarat asked employees from the northeast to stay away during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit last week.
Reports have suggested that the hotel acted on the concerns of the city police that Tibetan protesters could sneak in disguised as employees, placing the high profile Chinese delegation at risk. A mall next to the hotel also allegedly asked staff members from the northeast not to report to duty.
Sources say the Home Ministry has taken note of media reports and wants to know whether such orders were issued at all, and if they were, then at whose instance. It has asked for a report by tomorrow.
The ministry is reportedly investigating whether the order came from the Ahmedabad police, but its chief Shivanand Jha has denied it.
The hotel and mall have also denied any order to employees. The hotel management told NDTV that not only were north-east staffers on duty, but food for President Xi and his delegation was also supervised by a chef from the region.
The hotel has more than 300 employees, 35 of whom are said to be from the Northeast.
President Xi stopped at Ahmedabad on Wednesday for a six-hour visit before traveling to New Delhi. He was hosted by PM Modi, who treated him to dinner and a stroll near the Sabarmati river.