An entire community has come together and backed the Indian restaurant owner in Ashland, in the state of Kentucky in the United States, who was racially targeted in an online post.
Taj Sardar, owner of the Shell station and adjoining King’s Diner restaurant was shocked when he read a Facebook post by one of his first-time customers.
The customer, who worked with the local emergency services as a paramedic, posted on social media that upon frequenting Sardar’s diner they were “greeted by a tribe from India,” the post read.
“I would’ve been better off chewing on my tennis shoe than trying to choke down Monday’s meatloaf special . . . I’m ashamed that I probably just funded Al-Qaeda in order to have a meal,” it continued.
“I couldn’t imagine what I was reading. My heart was broken. How could this person affiliate me with a terrorist group,” Mr Sardar, who moved to the US in 2006 with his family, said on Thursday.
Source: Facebook/Shania Smith
The online rant has since been deleted and the person has been terminated from his role at the emergency services.
“Community rallies behind Taj Sardar”
After Taj’s story was covered by the local media, the local community thronged to his diner to show their support.
He and his co-workers were greeted with support and a key to the city from the mayor and city commissioners.
Taj says many people have called him from all over the country to make him feel welcome and apologize for the employee's words.
