On Friday, Air India yet again canceled the Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad’s, ticket from Mumbai to Delhi at the end of this month. On March 23, the MP had abused an AI manager and speaking in the Lok Sabha yesterday, the MP said that he would apologize to the parliament but not Air India.
The MP speaking in the Lok Sabha said that he would apologize to the parliament if ‘he hurt its image’ but not the staff of AI that he abused. In a protest, the Air India employees union said that Gaikwad should only be allowed to fly if he gives an ‘unconditional apology’ and also a written guarantee assuring “cabin safety and public behavior.”
The Shiv Sena Party, however, slammed the AI administration and said that the MP had made no attempts to book a ticket with them. The party also said that the airlines are just using the parliamentarian’s name to gain fame.
Gaikwad in an attempt to reconcile with other airlines that banned him submitted a letter to the Aviation Minister A.G. Raju. In the letter, he ‘regrets the unfortunate incident’ and apologizes to the parliament. However, before the aviation minister could respond he was rushed out of the house so as to protect him from Shiv Sena’s MP Anant Geete who tried to attack A.G. Raju in anger.
The AI has registered with the police two cases against Gaikwad, an incident the MP bragged about. Later he explained that he was provoked by the manager who asked him “Who are you? Narendra Modi?” The MP also said that the manager shoved him to which he reacted violently.
