Sena calls for shutdown, to demand action against AI for grounding MP

NEWDELHI: The Shiv Sena on Monday demanded lifting of a flying ban on its lawmaker Ravindra Gaikwad, accused of assaulting an Air India staffer, but the government said airlines had the right to refuse a passenger.

MPs of the Sena, an ally of the ruling BJP at the Centre and Maharashtra, created uproar in Lok Sabha and at one point of time, engaged in a verbal duel with Congress members who slammed Gaikwad’s action.

Sena supporters have called a shutdown on Monday at Osmanabad, the parliamentary constituency of the MP who has admitted to hitting a 60-year-old Air india employee with slipper more than “25 times”.

“I agree it is wrong. Air India has filed a police complaint and we will accept whatever the result is, that is not a problem,” Sena member Anandrao Adsul said in the Lok Sabha. “The problem is all airlines have restricted him. The Constitution says people can go anywhere in the country. If there is one incident and all airlines ban him, it is wrong.”

Adsul cited the example of television personality Kapil Sharma who allegedly misbehaved on a flight to Australia. “He was not banned. But a person who represents people, and when the session is on, was banned,” the MP said.

The Congress Party too said Air India staffer Sukumar was equally at fault. Congress leader Rajni Patil said she has given a notice in Parliament over the issue. “Not all MPs are the same as shown. As the MP behaved, so did the airlines. If he misbehaved, the airlines also put him in the ‘no-fly’ list,” she said.

Civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapati Raju said an MP was just another passenger and violence of any kind on a flight can turn into a disaster. He said airlines have been empowered to deny boarding to any passenger whose demeanour was not proper.

“An MP is also a passenger. Now that the MP has raised it, we can’t have unequal treatment to people of different classes...We need to keep safety in mind, we can’t compromise safety of airlines,” Raju said.

“I never in my wildest dreams thought that an MP will get caught in such an incident,” he said With the minister giving no positive response, the Shiv Sena members expressed their unhappiness by trooping into the Well of the House.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan told them that it was not right.