Following widespread criticism and agitations over an article in its in-flight magazine over non-vegetarian dishes being cooked and served at the Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri, Air India on Saturday apologised for publishing the article and withdrew the magazine from all its aircrafts.
An article in Subh Yatra, the Air India’s magazine, titled “Devotion can be delicious,” read, “Said to be the largest in the country, the Jagannath Temple's kitchen in Puri since its inception has had an army of 500 cooks and 300 helpers to serve 100,000 people every day, round the clock, which means almost 285 varieties of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes every day.”
After an Odia passenger noticed the article, he shared it in social networking site. later, the article drew sharp reactions from every quarter with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik calling it “most unfortunate”. “I think this is a most unfortunate matter. We will take it up strongly with the appropriate authorities,” Patnaik told reporters.
Protesting the article, activists of the Jagannath Sena on Saturday took to the streets and demanded an immediate apology from the concerned authorities.
The protestors led by Priyadarshi Patnaik staged a demonstration in front of the lion’s Gate of the Jagannath Temple and burnt effigies of Union Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Odisha Culture and Tourism Minister Ashok Chandra Panda. Agitators also burnt the effigies of the duo.
Meanwhile, the airline in a tweet said, “AI apologises for the error. Our intention was not to hurt sentiments. Shubh Yatra copies have been removed with immediate effect.”
AI CMD Ashwani lohani too offered apology after Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan talked to him over the matter.
“I, AI CMD Ashwani lohani, offer my apologies regarding the article on ShubhYatra. Corrective action has been taken regarding the same,” the airline said in another tweet.
To pacify crores of Jagannath devotees, the AI CMD sent Air India General Manager (Revenue Management) Minakshi Mallick to Bhubaneswar.
“The article in the October issue of the in-flight magazine is a serious blunder and that the magazine has been withdrawn across the globe,” Mallick told reporters in Bhubaneswar.
The State-run airliner blacklisted the author of the article Madhulika Dash.
