Hitler themed restaurant opens in Mumbai; Jews ticked off

Grimmlok · August 23rd, 2006, 03:11 PM

Quote:

The Jewish community in the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay) is outraged by a new restaurant named after Adolf Hitler.

The restaurant, Hitler's Cross, opened last week in the city's outskirts, initially displaying a giant poster of Hitler at the entrance.

The 5,000-strong Jewish community say they were insulted and want the owner to change the name of the restaurant.

The restaurant owner says the poster has been taken down but he told the BBC that he would keep the name.

The Chairman of the Indian Jewish Federation, Jonathan Solomon, said the community was outraged and insulted.

"How can anybody think of naming a restaurant after a perpetrator of such heinous crimes against humanity?

"We would be definitely explaining to him our hurt and the wrong of his action, and hoping that he would agree to change the name of his restaurant."

'Very amused'

The owner of the restaurant, Puneet Sabhlok told the BBC he was "very sorry" but he would not be changing the name of his restaurant.

"My customers are not complaining about the name, they are very amused by it," he said.

"Just like Hitler wanted to conquer the world, I want to conquer at least my area through the food served in my restaurant."

Mr Sabhlok also said he was not promoting Hitler in any manner as he did not have any pictures of the German Nazi leader or decor related to him.

When questioned about press photographs of a huge Hitler poster at the front door, Mr Sabhlok said it was put up by one of the 700 invitees who attended the opening. "We pulled it off later," he said.

When asked about another photograph that appeared in the papers of a waiter lighting up a hookah in the restaurant with a gun-shaped lighter, he said the lighter belonged to a customer.

"There are no posters or memorabilia or even names of items on the menu that promote Hitler. I've only named it Hitler's Cross."

Members of the Jewish community are holding an urgent meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issue.

If the restaurant owner did not agree to their demand, they would appeal to the authorities to cancel his restaurant licence and lodge a police complaint, Mr Solomon said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5275866.stm

I'm sorry, part of me finds this in bad taste, and the other part of me thinks it's hilarious for some reason. I'm having trouble reconciling the two

Lil · August 24th, 2006, 08:02 AM

I'll go for poor taste I think. Still, he's got himself a load of free publicity even if he changes the name.

NawdleZouss · August 24th, 2006, 03:55 PM

Of course it's in poor taste. And hilarious.

**Tati** · August 24th, 2006, 05:51 PM

I reckon, it is in poor taste, he has every right to do it, and people have every right to be pissed about it. I wonder why he did it though - publicity is one thing, but I imagine a lot of people wouldn't want to be seen there, and thus there's a big market he'll never reach.