Rawat rebuffs Satpal copter probe call

Differences within ruling BJP government came to fore on Tuesday with chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat rejecting tourism minister Satpal Maharaj’s allegation that his helicopter was twice denied permission to land at spots where he was to attend official functions.

“Choosing a spot for landing helicopter is a technical issue. Only pilots can take a call, not politicians,” Rawat said. He said a serious accident was averted recently when a helicopter carrying Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis crash landed.

“Few days back, similar air accident was averted in Gujarat,” Rawat said.

Maharaj wrote a letter to the CM on Monday alleging that his helicopter was twice denied permission to land despite informing civil aviation department in advance about his tours. The minister said that he was first denied the permission to land in Wan, a remote spot in Chamoli district on May 10. On May 23, he was again denied permission to land at Dronagiri hill.

Criticising the civil aviation department for its “wilful and humiliating” attitude, the tourism minister urged the CM to order an inquiry so that “such incidents are not repeated”. The request though met with a rebuff with the CM apparently justifying the civil aviation department’s decision and indirectly asking Maharaj to instead follow the technical advice offered by pilots. The reports of differences between the two have been doing the rounds since the CM inaugurated the Chardham Yatra at Rishikesh on April 27. Maharaj was conspicuous by his absence at the event. The CM’s proximity to Maharaj’s brother Bhola Maharaj is being seen as the reason behind the two sharing cold vibes.