Over the last forty eight hours, Shiva Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, proved to be an embarrassment to not only the party but also to the breed of ministers. He has been in the news for hitting an Air India staff member with his sandals 25 times! He also challenged the airlines and said any case filed against him would go in vain. He also set a record for being the first person to be barred from private airlines unanimously. This is the first of its kind ban ever to be implemented in our Country.
Anyone with a sane mind would expect the party to take strict action against the Minister. But Shiv Sena has decided to stand by Gaikwad and warned Air India airlines. The party leader Sanjay Raut had in a statement said that the airlines ‘needs to introspect’ and should think “what would happen if the public decides to blacklist the airline.” This statement came in response to the national airlines and all private airlines banning the said MP, for traveling with them. Air India had canceled the Gaikwad’s evening flight from New Delhi to Pune, today (Saturday,) IndiGo canceled his ticket booked with them which did not sit well with the party.
Air India has filed two cases against Gaikwad, for which Raut had said that ”law will take its own course” clearly indicating that the party will take no action against the minister. Raut also added that the Minister was made to sit in the economy despite booking business class ticket and that it was yet to be proven who initiated the violence.
Gaikwad, after landing in Delhi after the row on the plane refused to get off the plane for 45 minutes in a protest for being flown economy class. It is as yet unclear as to what Air India could have done as the plane had no business class and was an all economy class flight! The airlines also intimated to the minister’s staff ahead of the journey that the plane had no business class in the plane. But Gaikwad insisted that this was a conspiracy and demanded an explanation.
When Sukumar Raman, the duty manager came to explain the situation to the MP, the former school teacher lost his cool and started hitting Raman wherein his shirt was torn and his glasses were broken. The manager in his complaint said that the MP had abused him and ”used foul language” and demeaned him. In the closure, Raman wrote, “I can only say God save our country if this is the culture and behavior of our MPs.”
Gaikwad was warned by the Party leadr Anil Desai to watch his behavior and later on the MP approached the aviation minister A.G. Raju. He spoke to A.G. Raju and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and asked them to investigate as to why the national carrier mistreated him.
