MP miffed because I denied admission request: Thampu

“It all began when a certain powerful alumnus wanted his son to be admitted to the college way below the cut-off. Tremendous pressure was put on me but I refused. I was warned then that I would face a severe backlash,” Thampu told Newsline.

A group of St Stephen’s alumni,including Dikshit,launched a separate alumni association on July 16 this year,claiming the new body was the only credible alumni association for the college.

When his comments were sought on Thampu’s allegation,Dikshit said: “As someone who has studied in St. Stephen’s,I know the college’s admission process very well. If an applicant is below the cut-off limit,then there is nothing that anyone can do to help his or her case. Even the principal can’t do anything. In any case,I don’t recall speaking to Mr Thampu about any such student.”

“I have made my view on St. Stephen’s very clear. It is no longer the liberal looking institution I used to study in.”

Thampu had last week issued a notice to the East Delhi parliamentarian asking him to “cease and desist” from going ahead with the formation of a society in the name of alumni association of the college.

Referring to the parallel association,Thampu told Newsline the college was being held hostage by a group of people with money and political clout.

“This is not an issue pertaining to the college only. The government must take a stand on this,” he said.

He said he would act against the new association with all the legal means available to him,pointing out the alumni association was collecting money in the name of the college. ‘As the principal of this college I have the right to ask where the money they collected has gone,” he said.

To this,Dikshit said: “I think Mr. Thampu should get his facts right. The annual fees of our society is Rs 10000,and so far we haven’t collected any money from anyone. Even if we do pay a membership fee,I don’t think there is anything wrong in it. The society’s accounts will be audited.”