Raasta Restaurant stopped ‘raasta’ of a woman on wheelchair, damned

Owner apologises later as video & tweets go viral

Gurugram, Feb. 13 (Delhi Crown): In a shocking incident, “Raasta”, a leading restaurant in Gurugarm’s Cyber City, stopped a woman on wheelchair at the entrance, denying her entry and telling her that their guests would be “disturbed” by her presence.

Dejected at the restaurant-staff’s behaviour, the woman asked the world should she stop going out as she is a ‘disturbance’ for others whose mood apparently get “ruined” after looking at her.

“I am heartbroken. Awfully sad,” said the woman while narrating the incident on Twitter.

The whole incident was recorded by the friends of the woman on wheelchair, and later the lady took to Twitter to vent out her sadness, saying she feels “disgusted”.

The incident happened on Friday evening at Gurugram’s Cyber City when the staff of Raasta Restaurant stopped Srishti Pandey from entering the restaurant saying her presence will “disturb” their guests.

Srishti had gone to dine out after a long gap due to Covid-19 lockdowns and wanted to have fun with her friends. But all she faced was sadness and depression.

“I went to my @raastagurgaon with my best friend and her fam last night. This was one of my first outings in so long and I wanted to have fun. Bhaiya (my friend’s elder brother) asked for a table for four. The staff at the desk ignored him twice,” said Srishti in her first tweet. Thereafter, she posted a series of tweets.

According to her, one of the staff posted at the entrance of the restaurant pointed at her saying “andar customers disturb hojaynge”.

“This came from the staff of a freaking fancy place,” she said in another tweet.

Later, after much arguments, Srishti and her friends were made to sit outside the restaurant to dine. But the specially disabled woman could not bear the harsh winter under the open sky.

“Why should I be made to sit outside anyway? segregated from everyone else? If we wanted an outside seating we would have asked for it? But is me just existing that much of a disturbance for you? Why do I always have to fight for the smallest of things? Why was I DENIED entry in a public place? Who are they to deny my entry just like that?” said the woman in yet other tweet.

She further tweeted – “Should I stop going out at all only then? Because apparently, I don’t belong with others. Because I’m a ‘disturbance’ for others. Because their moods apparently get “ruined” after looking at me. I am heartbroken. Awfully sad. And I feel disgusted.”

As Srishti’s tweets went viral, owner of the restaurant at fault Goumtesh Singh apologised to her, ensuring her he would take an appropriate action against staff “if found in the wrong”.

“Dear Ms. Srishti Pandey, I am personally looking into this incident. Let me start by apologising on behalf of entire team for any bad experience that you may have had. Please rest assured if any of our members is found in the wrong, appropriate action will be taken against them,” said Singh.

He tweeted – “We are deeply regretful of the episode that took place at Raasta Gurgaon on Friday evening. We stand for inclusivity and would never want anyone to feel singled out for any reason.”