Stephen's alumni stopped from attending prayer meet on campus

Noted alumni of St Stephen’s college including historian Ramachandra Guha and Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian were denied entry into the campus to attend a condolence meeting for a popular dhaba owner Rohtas, as no prior permission had been sought for the event.

College Principal Valson Thampu said the college was not a “public park” anyone could walk in without following the protocol.

65-year-old Rohtas, who was loved by generations of Stephen’s alumni for his samosa and gulabjamuns, died last week due to tuberculosis and pneumonia. Around 100 alumni of the institution had gathered outside the campus on Saturday for a prayer meet for Rohtas but they were denied entry by the guards.

Rohit Bansal, a former trustee of the St Stephen’s College Alumni Foun-dation Trust who was among those who had gone to pay their tributes to Rohtas, said they were not allowed to go for the prayer meeting and were told to state a different purpose for the visit.