Didn't ask northeast staff to stay away during Xi visit: Hyatt Ahmedabad - Livemint

Chinese President Xi Jinping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the former’s India visit. Photo: AFP

Ahmedabad: Hours after the Union home ministry ordered a probe into reports that employees of an Ahmedabad hotel from the northeast 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’m not aware of any such diktat given by police to the hotel authorities about their staff. We were just concerned about the Tibetans,” said JCP (crime) A.K. Sharma. JCP (special branch) Vikas Sahay too said he was not aware of any such order having been issued.

The management of Hyatt Ahmedabad expressed surprise over the reports and claimed all staffers, including those from the northeast, did duty on 17 September 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 northeast, was present in the hotel and doing duty when Chinese President arrived. I’m surprised as to how such baseless reports are doing the rounds,” said Ayesha Mishra, marketing manager of Hyatt Ahmedabad.

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.