Invitees refused entry for function

The awards function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan was marked by mismanagement with large number of the invitees refused entry despite reaching the venue well in time on Wednesday evening.

The invite for the function, scheduled to start at 6.00 pm, requested the guests to be seated by 5.30 pm. But the gates were shut at 5.00 pm with security officials stating the number of invitees had exceeded the number of seats in the hall.

As a result, around 70 people and several journalists were stranded outside the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

However, journalists from a news agency managed an entry on special orders from the press secretary.

Those stopped at the entrance were Indian Olympic Association (IOA) secretary-general Randhir Singh and National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) officials including president Raninder Singh. They were later allowed to enter.

Waiting outside were also school teachers of Kavita Raut, who was to be conferred the Arjuna award on the day. They had come all the way from Nasik but left dejected.