Woman in wheelchair denied entry at Gurugram restaurant, shares ordeal

Srishti Pandey, a physically disabled woman, recently took to Twitter to share her experience of being denied to enter the premises of a Carribean restaurant in Gurugram. The woman, who uses a wheelchair, was allegedly refused entry by the employees of Raasta, a restaurant located in Gurugram, on the pretext of “disturbing other customers.”

Pandey had visited the upscale restaurant on Friday with a friend, but was told by the staff, “wheelchair andar nahi jayegi (the wheelchair won’t go inside)”. 

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She then shared her ordeal on Twitter and wrote, “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. The third time he asked, the staff replied with “wheelchair andar nahi jaygi” (The wheelchair can’t go inside). We thought it was an accessibility issue, but it wasn’t. We told him that we’d manage, just book us a table. What he said next left all of us shocked for a while.  After a lot of arguing, he told us to get a table outside. The outside seating was ridiculous. It was getting cold. And I can’t sit out in cold for long because my body gets spastic. Why should I be made to sit outside anyway? segregated from everyone else? If we wanted outdoor seating we would have asked for it? Eventually, we were asked to leave. Obviously.”

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She added, “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? Should I stop going out at all? 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.”

The tweet thread has gone viral on the platform. Gurugram Police responded to the tweet and asked for Pandey’s details in order to launch an investigation into the matter. 

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Raasta’s management later apologised for the incident with a lengthy note. “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. As a part of our efforts we have already reached out to the aggrieved patron to personally apologise to them. We are also taking steps internally to heighten sensitivity and empathy for our staff to ensure this never happens again,” read the note.