Angry at being ‘given’ an economy class seat in a flight that did not have business class, a Shiv Sena MP on Thursday allegedly beat up an Air India (AI) staffer with his slippers “25 times”, forcing the AI to consider preparing a ‘no-fly’ list for unruly passengers.
According to a senior police officer, the incident took place when Ravindra Gaikwad, lok Sabha member from Osmanabad in Maharashtra, flew from Pune to Delhi on Air India’s flight AI 852.
“Two complaints have been given — one for assaulting the employee and another for delaying the flight, which was supposed to go to Goa, by 40 minutes. legal opinion from the prosecution branch has been taken as prima facie no cognizable offence is made out as per content of complaints received,” said the official.
“The MP had a business class ticket. His office was clearly told that the AI 852 was an all-economy flight that did not have a business class. There were two other Pune-Delhi flights which had business class,” said an AI statement.
“At about 9:35 am after the plane landed, he did not alight from it for over 30 minutes. He was angry at being made to travel in economy despite having a business class coupon.
Our ground staff repeatedly requested him to alight from the plane as the aircraft had to be dispatched for another flight to Goa and 115 passengers were waiting to board,” said the statement.
The agitated MP then allegedly took off his slipper and beat up one of the AI ground staffers, who was requesting him to get off the plane.
The MP later admitted to have indeed beaten up the staffer with his slippers.
“I am not a BJP MP. I am a Shiv Sena MP and will not tolerate any insult. let the employee complain. I will complain to the Speaker and other authorities,” he said.
The airline staff member who was assaulted by Gaikwad said, “Ravindra Gaikwad hit me, used foul language and not only broke my specs but humiliated me in front of the whole crew.”
The Shiv Sena also remained defiant over the incident though the party sought explanation from Gaikwad.
Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said, “We really should know what made him lose his temper. He is not a person who would suddenly jump into such a thing.”
“The party has sought an explanation from Gaikwad over the incident. The Sena does not condone violence of any kind,” Harshal Pradhan, media adviser to Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, told PTI.
The AI management called for a report on the VVIP high handedness and will then decide on the action to be taken. While AI employees want strict action against Gaikwad, sources fear that since the MP belongs to an alliance partner (Shiv Sena), political pressure may tie the state-owned Maharaja’s hands.
“Air India is examining creation of no-fly list of unruly passenger on the lines of other carriers,” a senior airline official said.
This is not the first time that elected representatives have misbehaved with AI staff. In November 2015, a Congress MP had allegedly slapped an AI station manager at Tirupati airport for refusing to accept him and his relatives on a flight for which boarding had been closed. The MP and his entourage had reached the Tirupati airport 20 to 25 minutes before flight departure time while boarding counters for domestic flights close 45 minutes before departure time.
And before this, a Bihar politician had allegedly misbehaved with an air hostess of a private airline. The air hostess did not file a complaint against the MP, whose spouse is also an MP, with the police and just gave her complaint to the airline. The private airline did not act on that as it said the employee must file a complaint with the police.