Parliamentary privilege is no shield for bad behaviour
Banning unruly flyers, parliamentarians or not, should be seen as a passengerfriendly move
Last week Rajya Sabha MP and Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agrawal raised the issue of airlines banning passengers, especially MPs, from flying. He was referring to the ban imposed by major airlines on two MPs — JC Diwakar Reddy of the TDP and Ravindra Gaikwad of the Shiv Sena. Both bans were recently lifted.
Responding to Agrawal, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman PJ Kurien said: “Airlines are not given the authority to punish anybody ..... MPs are also citizens ... if they commit a crime or mistake, the law of the land should take recourse to it.”
Kurien is spot on! The law of the land must take its course. The problem is that this “course” is a long-winded one which often takes years, if not decades. And this delay is one of the reasons that embolden our netas to behave the way they do.
Moreover, by banning a passenger for creating a ruckus at the ticketing counter, or is a nuisance on the flight, the airline is protecting the interests of its employees and other passengers — passengers who have the paid for good service, and follow DGCA and airline rules. More than a punishment, a ban here is a passenger-friendly move.
What happened in the Rajya Sabha is making convenient use of the ‘parliamentary privilege’ card to defend unacceptable conduct by some of its members — conduct that should have been unequivocally condemned.
Why is it that many politicians hit an air pocket or face turbulence when flying? A decade ago, a minister in Kerala’s LDF government resigned after a woman accused him of misbehaving with her on the flight. Two years ago, an MP from Bihar was alleged to have threatened crew members and refused to comply with DGCA guidelines.
It’s a sense of entitlement that makes these leaders behave in this manner. They feel they can get away with it. This must stop.
Rather than realising that they have been elected to serve the people, they lord it over them. It is this derision that is seen when netas refuse to stand in queues, demand that their luggage is carried for them, and even demand privileges they are not entitled to.
It’s a pity that some of our representatives believe that they are a cut above the people. The next time an MP or MLA is flying, he/she should try standing in the queue, be patient and follow the drill like others. It could be a humbling experience for the leader and give him/her a new perspective. It could even work to improve public opinion about them.
Today, a politician, especially an MLA or MP, standing in a queue or following the rules like any ordinary citizen is news. This is unfortunate, and should change. For that, if banning unruly flyers, including parliamentarians, will work, it should be done.