Flyer says ‘no VIP culture’, hitches ride with Bihar CM
VIP culture seems to have raised heckles at the Delhi airport as Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar faced an angry passenger when he was trying to avail buggy service meant for VIPs and elderly at Terminal 3.
As Kumar sat in the cart after arriving from Mumbai, another passenger came and sat in the front seat and started shouting ‘No VIP culture’.
The security agency requested him to get down but when he didn’t budge, the staff allowed him to sit.
Kumar, however, got down at the international lounge, while the other passenger went till the immigration counter. Although there are walkalators and escalators at the airport, VIPs are often taken in golf carts till immigration counters. There are 30 such battery operated carts available at Delhi airport.
“The incident happened at 10pm on Saturday, when Kumar arrived from Air India flight AI 310 from Mumbai. He deboarded from gate number 8 where a buggy was waiting for him. This passenger had arrived from the same flight and sat on the front seat of the cart,” said a security
THE CISF, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AIRPORT SECURITY,
SAID THEY DID NOT HAVE TO USE ANY FORCE
official.
The chief minister of a state is treated as VIP at airports and usually, security personnel escort them out.
The CISF, which is responsible for security at airports, said since the passenger was not violent, they did not use any force and even Kumar did not raise any objection.
The incident comes after the government decision last week to ban red beacons atop cars of all ministers, politicians and bureaucrats, signalling an end to a culture of privilege.
The move was welcomed in the country and sparked calls to end VIP culture. While the order will come into effect from May 1, chief ministers such as Yogi Adityanath and Devendra Fadnavis removed the red beacons from their cars and directed their ministers to do the same.