In rich Qatar, one restaurant lets poor eat for free

Doha: In a dusty corner of Qatar's booming capital, a sign outside a modest restaurant popular with migrant labourers reads: "If you are hungry and have no money, eat for free!!!"

Sixteen kilometres (10 miles) from the gleaming glass towers of Doha, one of the richest places on the planet, sits the "Industrial Area" of small-scale workshops, factories and low-cost accommodation.

It is only a 40-minute drive south of the centre of the Qatari capital and its luxury shops, upmarket brands and expensive restaurants.

But the "Industrial Area", rarely seen by outsiders, is a different Qatar -- one which provides essential labour and materials for the country's massive and relentless expansion.

It is at the margin of Doha life, both geographically and metaphorically, but home to a restaurant called Zaiqa doing something apparently unique for the oil-rich Gulf state.

About three weeks ago the Indian brothers who own Zaiqa decided to put up a small makeshift sign offering free food to customers who cannot afford to pay.

"When I saw the board I had tears in my eyes," said one of the owners, Shadab Khan, 47, originally from New Delhi, who has lived in Qatar for 13 years.

"Even now when I talk about it, I get a lump in my throat."

He said the idea came from his younger brother, Nishab.

The 16-seater eaterie stands on the prosaically named Street 23, sandwiched between another restaurant and a steel workshop.

Inside, on brightly coloured tablecloths, "authentic Indian cuisine from the heart of Delhi" is served 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

A fish curry costs six Qatari riyals (USD 1.65, 1.50 euros), an egg roast is three riyals and a spinach dish of Palak Paneer is 10 riyals -- for those who choose to pay.

The need for free food in Qatar is particularly acute among labourers and those working in heavy industry.

It is estimated that there are anywhere between 700,000 and one million migrant workers in the tiny Gulf kingdom, out of a total population of 2.3 million.

"Many labourers earn 800-1,000 riyals (USD 220-USD 275) per month. They have to send money back to home. It's expensive here so there are people who need free food," he said.

Shadab, who is a filmmaker as well as a restaurant owner, said those asking for food are mostly construction workers from countries such as India, Nepal and Bangladesh. AMS