The ongoing controversy between Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad and Air India seems to have claimed a victim. A BJP MP from Latur, Sunil Gaikwad, claims he had to bear mistreatment from AI staffers owing to his bearing the surname Gaikwad
BJP MP from Latur, Sunil Gaikwad. Pic/YouTube
The ongoing controversy between Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad and Air India seems to have claimed a victim. A BJP MP from Latur, Sunil Gaikwad, claims he had to bear mistreatment from AI staffers owing to his bearing the surname Gaikwad.
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According to a report by The Times of India, Sunil Gaikwad claims he was subjected to harsh, suspicious treatment from Air India staffers and denied business class seats, which he is entitled to as a parliamentarian during his last two flights. He has brought up the matter with minister of state for civil aviation, Jayant Sinha.
On Friday, en route to catch a flight to Hyderabad, MP Sunil Gaikwad says he was rudely stopped and questioned by security personnel and was allotted a back seat after boarding the plane.
He had met with similar treatment during an early morning AI flight from Hyderabad to New Delhi.
Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad assaulted an Air India official in New Delhi after he was forced to travel economy class though he had an open business class ticket. A defiant Gaikwad admitting to beating the unnamed airline staffer '25 times' with his slipper after accusing the latter of misbehaving with him after the flight landed in Delhi.
Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad
The incident happened when flight AI852 from Pune reached Delhi around 10.30 a.m on March 23. Apparently nursing a grouse, Gaikwad - who represents Osmanabad in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha - refused to get off the flight, causing inconvenience to other passengers and crew on board.
Gaikwad was booked in two cases for assaulting an Air India staffer and delaying a scheduled flight. An Air India spokesperson said two separate first information reports (FIRs) were lodged against Gaikwad, with one being for abusing and assaulting an AI staffer with slippers and "attempting to throw him out of the aircraft" -- in which he was prevented by other staff present.
In an unprecedented step, Air India and all private carriers refused to fly Gaikwad. But the Lok Sabha member from Osmanabad in Maharashtra remained defiant and refused to apologise for the incident. The Indian Commercial Pilots Association also sought an unconditional apology from Gaikwad and threatened to direct its members "not to operate any flight which has Gaikwad on board".
Relief for Ravindra Gaikwad, seems to be elusive at present even as his own party members are opposing airlines banning him.
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