Controversial Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who was in the news for allegedly bashing up a 60-year-old Air India staffer, had to hit the road to reach Delhi to attend the Parliament Session here on Wednesday. The MP decided to undertake the road journey after the airline again barred him from travelling by flight.
An unrepentant Gaikwad, who has been barred by all domestic airlines from flying on their aircraft, targeted the national carrier Air India again on Wednesday and accused it of “cheating people and giving poor service.”
Gaikwad contended that his grouse was over the inefficiency and bad service provided by the carrier and not for being denied a business class seat for which he held an open ticket. “I am a simple person leading an ordinary life... I mingle with the poor, farmers, labourers... So my concern was not travelling economy class, but the denial of service matching the tickets issued to passengers.”
“The media is showing only one-sided version of Air India, which is misleading...,” Gaikwad said.
The Shiv Sena MP drove to the national Capital from his constituency Osmanabad. last week, the MP had taken a train to reach Mumbai from Delhi.
According to sources, Gaikwad may attend Thursday’s Parliament Session. Gaikwad apparently booked a seat from Hyderabad to Delhi on Air India Flight AI 551 for Wednesday, which was cancelled by the national carrier.
He had also booked a seat on Tuesday for the 8 am flight, AI 806, from Mumbai to Delhi for Thursday but once again his ticket was cancelled by the airline.
Shiv Sena has moved a privilege motion against the airlines on the issue in the lok Sabha.
However, Gaikwad will have to wait before his case can be heard by the Privilege Committee of Parliament as lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has sought a ‘factual report’ from the Ministry of Civil Aviation regarding Shiv Sena’s privilege notice against AI.
The MP has been blacklisted by the national airlines with Government saying DGCA safety and security guidelines apply to all passengers including the MPs.
Union Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Monday backed the decision by airlines not to allow Gaikwad on board their aircraft, saying “an MP is also a passenger” and cannot expect “unequal treatment”.