Sena MP books ticket to Delhi, Air India cancels it

NEW DELHI : Air India on Tuesday cancelled Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad’s Mumbai-Delhi ticket days after it grounded him for assaulting a 60-year-old manager with the state carrier.

He had an open ticket with Air India and had booked a flight for Wednesday morning.

Gaikwad abused and assaulted R Sukumar with his slippers, venting his anger after being denied business class on a Pune-New Delhi Air India flight last Thursday.

The 56-year-old MP for Maharashtra’s Osmanabad was then banned by Air India and five private airlines from flying as he refused to apologise for the incident that triggered nationwide outrage.

Fellow MPs criticised Gaikwad’s action, and Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan said she would take a call if any parliamentarian brought the topic to her notice in the House.

He, however, remained defiant and unrepentant, and instead blamed Sukumar for the incident.

He told reporters at Maharashtra Sadan on Tuesday morning that he has no regrets.

“Kaahe ka pashchaataap (what is there to repent)? I will not apologise ... he (Sukumar) should come and apologise. Then we will see. A 60-year-old man should know how to behave,” he said.

On Friday, Gaikwad had submitted a complaint against Air India before the Delhi Police alleging that he was pushed and yelled on.

In his complaint, Gaikwad said he was made to travel by the airline on economy class even as he had business class ticket.

Air India and six private airlines banned the 56-year-old MP from flying as he refused to apologise for the incident that triggered the incident.

Anandrao Adsul of the Shiv Sena raised the issue of the ban imposed on R Gaikwad by airlines in Lok Sabha, saying “I hope you (Speaker) will raise it with government”.

After being blacklisted by the top airlines, Gaikwad had to board a train to Mumbai earlier earlier on Friday.