Shops closed in Osmanabad to protest airlines’ ban on MP

Shiv Sena supporters hold motorcycle rally in Gaikwad’s constituency

Responding to the Shiv Sena’s call for a shutdown in Maharashtra’s Osmanabad, shopkeepers pulled down their shutters in support of MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who was banned by domestic airlines after assaulting an Air India employee.

Gaikwad assaulted the airline staffer last week, after flying from Pune to Delhi, as he was forced to travel in economy class although he had a business class ticket. After the flight landed, he assaulted the official with his slippers.

Air India and six private airlines banned him from flying on any of their flights until he apologised.

However, the 56-year-old parliamentarian, elected from Osmanabad in May 2014, refused and demanded that the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan yesterday called for an amicable resolution of the issue involving domestic airlines’ blanket ban on Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad.

Though she did not categorically call for the lifting of the ban on Gaikwad, who assaulted an Air India staffer last week, she said MPs need to attend Parliament and cannot always travel by train.

“MPs need to attend Parliament and they cannot travel by train always. At times, they need to travel by plane also. I feel that this issue [blanket ban] should be resolved amicably through talks,” she said.

Mahajan, however, said that she was not the one to pass a judgement but was trying to help resolve the issue as the agitating MPs have sought help from her as she was the Speaker.

“I am playing the role of ‘tai’ [elder sister]. As of now, everybody is angry. It is time to calm down and resolve the issue. How the ban could be lifted needs to be discussed and resolved amicably,” she told reporters after a meeting attended by Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Sena MPs.

The airlines’ move came after the MP last week assaulted 62-year-old duty manager of Air India R. Sukumar with slippers over not being able to fly business class despite having boarded an all-economy flight. After the ban, Gaikwad had to travel by train from Delhi to Maharashtra. airline employee apologise.

The incident has been condemned across the country, but the Sena called for a strike in support of Gaikwad yesterday. Shiv Sena supporters also held a motorcycle rally in Umerga, a constituency he represented in should first the Assembly for two terms.

Sena district vice-president Kamlakar Chavan in Osmanabad said, “We have called for the Osmanabad bandh to protest the humiliation of our leader by the airlines who have denied him flying rights,” the PTI news agency reported.