Followers of the Dalai Lama, including many foreigners, protested the “mismanagement” by organisers of Penguin Annual Lecture by the Tibetan spiritual leader here, claiming that more passes were issued than the number of seats.
However, the organisers said that there was a specific time limit for entry to the venue which was followed. “We had specified that by 2 pm the seats should be occupied. Whoever came after that, can’t get in,” Varun Chawdhary from the Penguin Group said.
The followers, including some from the US, Japan and France were irked when at 2 pm the organisers said that entry was closed as the auditorium was jam-packed.
“When you invite someone, you do not treat them like that. It is not that I do not have a pass...I do. It is highly disappointing. We had come to seek his Holiness’ blessings. It is utter mismanagement,” said Tiffany from France.
As the hall could not accommodate all the invitees, the organisers had set a screen outside the venue for public viewing.
“The pass hasn’t mentioned that I have to see His Holiness on the screen. Why did I come here then? I would’ve seen him on TV instead. I wanted to feel his aura...his presence and seek blessing,” My-Phuonj from the US said.