New Delhi:
Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who is in the eye of the storm after he assaulted an Air India official in New Delhi, left for Maharashtra by train after the state carrier Air India, along with four private airlines banned the MP from Osmanabad (Maharashtra) from flying on their aircraft.
The Air India even cancelled his return ticket to Pune from the Capital.
Sources said that Gaikwad boarded a Mumbai-bound Agust Kranti Express train after the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) barred him from flying on Friday with immediate effect.
The MP had return ticket for 4.15pm on Friday was cancelled by Air India on Friday. He then booked an IndiGo flight through an agent which was also cancelled by the private career.
The national carrier has filed two FIRs against the MP who mercilessly thrashed the Air India staff over a trivial issue, while his party has sought an explanation from him.
On Friday, Gaikwad filed two FIRs against Air India and its employee Sukumar. The Delhi Police too lodged a case against the leader and transferred the case to the crime branch for further investigation.
However, the Parliamentarian refused to apologise for the incident. Gaikwad also wrote a letter to the civil aviation minister accusing the Air India employee of unruly behaviour, and complained of 'poor service' by the airline.
Meanwhile, security has been stepped up at the Delhi airport to prevent an altercation in case the MP arrived to catch a flight home.
Sena defends Gaikwad
The Shiv Sena, however, defended the mercurial leader. Party leader Sanjay Raut said that anybody can lose temper if someone has done anything wrong with him.
Sharp criticism of Gaikwad continued to pour in from leaders across the political spectrum who termed his behaviour as "condemnable" and demanded strict action against him.
Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the incident was in "bad taste" and it cannot be justified in any way. "This is in bad taste. If an elected representative behaves like this, it is a setback to the trust of people. Action is being taken as per law. This incident cannot be justified in any way," Naqvi said.
Congress leader Manish Tewari said that Lok Sabha should use it's plenipotentiary powers and expel the MP from house as it had done for cash for questions scam as soon as possible.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge termed the incident as "condemnable" and said MPs from any party, be it the Shiv Sena, BJP or the Congress should not behave in such a manner.
"He is stating that he himself has beaten (the staff). This type of behavior is condemnable. The civil aviation minister has condemned this act. "People should also not create a controversy to bring down the status and reputation of an institution. MPs should behave carefully and politely and the same time other staff should also behave courteously," he said.
NCP leader and former civil aviation minister Praful Patel said the MP should be barred from flying in any airline and that the Ethics Committee of the Parliament should take action against him. "The question is first what happened, then he is not repenting. He does not want to accept that he has done something wrong. He should not be allowed to fly by any airline, why only Air India. Even the police action should be very strict as there is a lot of evidence.
(With inputs from PTI)
