With the opening of its first New Delhi outlet, ice cream brand Haagen Dazs adopted an interesting if not ridiculous policy: those with international passports were allowed in while Indians themselves weren’t. Times of India’s Rajesh Kalra provides a tale of a friend who was turned away by Haagen-Dazs enforcers. Here’s a brief excerpt:
“I immediately called Ramit. ‘You are an international traveler, and you have a passport, so you can go in’, I said. Ramit’s response was instant: I tried to enter but they said you are not allowed for you don’t have an international passport.
AdvertisementI am normally not given to immediate emotional reactions, but I couldn’t resist this time. I was, to be honest, upset. How can they do this to an Indian, in India? Do a story on TOI or NBT? Do it for print or Online? Call other media friends and colleagues? I simply didn’t know how to react. Print would have a better impact, but should I wait that long?”
Kalra didn’t wait long. He contacted local authorities and used Facebook and Twitter to get the word out to the Indian community and as expected, HD’s actions drew plenty of ire. According to BoingBoing, after a fitting public outcry thanks in part to Kalra’s efforts, the operator of the franchise (who ironically is Indian) has axed the policy and apparently now claims it never existed.
Kalra, though, chalks this discrimination up to an age-old mentality of some Indian people. “I have often maintained that we ourselves are our biggest enemies. Our mentality is that of slaves and we think anything is good only if its approved by foreigners, or the ‘holders of international passport[s].'”