Even as Members of Parliament (MPs) rose above party lines to condemn Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad who beat up an Air India staffer on Thursday, seven domestic airlines took an unprecedented decision to ban Gaikwad from flying, forcing him to take a train from Delhi to Mumbai on Friday evening.
Gaikwad travelled by August Kranti Rajdhani accompanying as a co-passenger in Coach A1. Sources said the MP took a general ticket and paid a fine as per the Indian Railways’ penalty rules for passengers in the absence of a valid ticket. However, according to television news channel Times Now, Gaikwad disembarked at Mathura station complaining of chest pain.
The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) issued a statement on Friday saying that AI and the member airlines of the FIA that “includes IndiGo, Jet Airways, SpiceJet and Go Air have decided to ban this MP from flying on all our flights with immediate effect.” AI took the bold step and cancelled Gaikwad’s return ticket. The MP then booked himself on an IndiGo flight to Pune but the budget airline, too, refused to take him onboard and refunded his money. Air Asia and Vistara Airlines also decided to clip the wings of the Sena MP.
The Delhi Police registered two separate FIRs, one against Gaikwad for assaulting the AI staffer and transferred the case to its Crime Branch, and another against the AI staffer with Gaikwad being the complainant. On the other hand, his party colleague Sanjay Raut said that in the event of AI banning Gaikwad from flying, he would ask people to blacklist AI because of the poor service provided by it.
Earlier, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha reportedly said the legality of the ban needed to be examined. “We have to see if this action of the airlines is within the framework of law,” Sinha said.
However, the airlines defended the move, saying imposing a a ban on a person from flying is very much within their jurisdiction.
Sources in Air India cited Chapter IV of Carriage by Air Act, 1972, which confers on the airlines the right to refuse a ticket to any person.
Sources also cited Rule 22 and 23 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, to justify the ban on Gaekwad.
The rules state that “no person onboard an aircraft shall assault, intimidate or threaten, whether physically or verbally a crew member/ any person...Which is likely to endanger the safety of the aircraft or of any person.”
As per Schedule VI of Aircraft Rules, 1937 such an offence is punishable with imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or with fine not exceeding Rs 5 lakh.
However, an unrepentant Gaikwad said that he would not apologise to the AI staffer whom he assaulted and instead blamed the airline employee for the incident. Gaikwad told reporters at the Maharashtra Sadan that he has no regret over his actions.
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“I will not apologise...He (AI Manager Sukumar) should come and apologise... Then we will see. A 60-year-old man should also know how to behave,” he said.
While the first-time MP said he had made Parliament “proud”, when asked if his act has brought shame to the temple of democracy, the 62-year-old Air India staffer said his attacker must be punished so that no one takes it as their “birthright” to assault a person.
While Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathy Raju promised that action would be taken against him, lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said she cannot take suo motu action and that she will take a call if it is brought to her notice in the House. Gaikwad said he has written about the incident to the lok Sabha Speaker and the Civil Aviation Minister.
“I always say every human being should behave in a nice manner with everyone...Whosoever it is, your behaviour should be good with everyone. As a mother I would suggest that to everyone. I will understand everything and then I will comment,” she told reporters before entering the House.
Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Jayant Sinha and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi severely criticised the erring Parliamentarian and said action was being taken against him. Former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said the Ethics Committee of the Parliament should take action against him. “As members of august bodies like Parliament, the country expects dignified behaviour from all of us,” tweeted Prasad. Prasad said he is “deeply distressed” over the Delhi airport incident involving the MP.
“This is in bad taste. If an elected representative behaves like this, it is a setback to the trust of people. Action is being taken as per law. This incident cannot be justified in any way,” Naqvi said. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge termed the incident as “condemnable” and said MPs from any party, be it the Shiv Sena, BJP or the Congress should not behave in such a manner.
At the backdrop of such an incident and a series of development, security at the IGI airport was stepped up as activists armed with roses and slippers to greet Gaikwad kept protesting around. Gaikwad had said that he would go ahead with his travel plan and take a return flight on Air India to Pune even if the airline canceled his ticket. Both CISF and Delhi Police personnel were seen in large numbers at the airport.