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A Shiv Sena member of parliament (MP), Ravindra Gaikwad, has been banned from flying on five major Indian airlines after he reportedly hit an airline employee with a slipper, the BBC reported.
In an act of defiance, Gaikwad told members of the press that he "hit him 25 times with my sandal" for "arrogance" after failing to get a business class seat on an Air India flight.
Air India filed a complaint against the MP from Osmanabad, following which Gaikwad was banned on all flights operated by the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA).
Members of the FIA also include Go Air, Spice Jet, Jet Airways, and IndiGo. All member airlines are dominant players in India's domestic aviation industry.
Gaikwad was told that he could not fly business class on the Pune to Delhi flight because it was an all-economy flight, the report filed by Air India said. The matter worsened when the duty manager was called after the plane landed in Delhi and the MP refused to get off.
Speaking to the media Gaikwad said that he was not a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP, but a Shiv Sena MP and would not tolerate any insult.
Shiv Sena is a junior coalition partner with the ruling BJP party in the Maharashtra state government.
So far, the MP has refused to apologise for attacking the 60-year-old Air India employee. The staff member told Asia News International that Gaikwad had broken his glasses in the attack.
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On DawnNews
Comments (53) Closed
Mar 24, 2017 04:14pm
Good decision by airlines , Atleast they have guts to do ..
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Mar 24, 2017 04:14pm
Such politicians should be banned for life for contesting any election in future. And in this case he should be punished for admitting his crime ashamedly. His arrogance is visible allover.
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Mar 24, 2017 04:18pm
Correct decision. Such behaviour has no place in India. the MP should be arrested and prosecuted
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Mar 24, 2017 05:19pm
Arrest him for assault. make him an example for others.
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Mar 24, 2017 05:26pm
Well done Air India no body is above the law. It serves him right...
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Mar 24, 2017 05:34pm
They have thought him a lesson by banning him on all major airlines. His today's flight tickets were cancelled by the airline.
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Mar 24, 2017 06:20pm
The case should be pursued in court but accepting the idea of declining him flight seat will give the airlines powers which will be misused. All such cases should be dealt with legally. I also understand that as a private company the airline should have the right to decline service. Thats why this issue needs to be sorted legally or god bless the common man from the airline mafia in future.
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Mar 24, 2017 06:20pm
Shiv sena party's hate against Bjp and modi has crossed all limit. The MP hit the employee because..he felt insulted when the employee said he will complain to PM modi about sena MP's conduct. Good all indian airline banning him. The guy has no respect for employee, PM or law of land. He should be Disqualifed as MP.
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Mar 24, 2017 06:45pm
Good decision. He should be arrested for assault. After all he is on TV admitting his crime. Politicians cannot be above the law. One correction - BJP and Shiv Sena used to be allies but are not any more. They split up at the last general election.
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Mar 24, 2017 06:45pm
Now the shivsena MP can travel in Indian railways or book a chartered plane. He should not be allowed in any plane unless he publicly apologized the airline employee.
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Mar 24, 2017 06:46pm
This shows the fascists are in the government. This man should have been jail, but now he will demand a private plane everytime. The people of India are facing a very bleak future. Hitler and his Nazi party came in like this.
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Mar 24, 2017 06:58pm
Keep him away from sandals with heels
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Mar 24, 2017 07:04pm
@Zak It shows your ignorance. He is MP and no MP can ask for private plane for any foreign trip(not sure about Pakistan though). Private plane is only offered to President and PM of India for any foreign trip.
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Mar 24, 2017 07:14pm
He should be in jail for the crime.
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Mar 24, 2017 07:23pm
IATA shall take notice of this incident and take action accordingly for his international travel
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Mar 24, 2017 07:47pm
This arrogance and entitlement is shocking.
Honorable MP should be black listed by all airlines and never be allowed to fly again.
He should try traveling in a train, to get to know how common people travel.
Look at the impeccable grace and humility with which PM Modi conducts himself in public. Honorable MP should learn something from him.
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Mar 24, 2017 07:53pm
@Zak Shows more of your ignorance. BJP is in government in centre not shiv Sena. This politician is MP from Maharastra not delhi. And he cannot order for personal flight everywhere. He is no PM or president. All indian airlines have banned him for his conduct. So our future is in safe hands don't worry.
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Mar 24, 2017 07:58pm
He should be ban from Rail too. Let him travel by road.
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Mar 24, 2017 08:02pm
@Zakota IATA? This happened in India not on international ground or flight. Its India's internal matter, where action has been taken. Don't think IATA involves itself in every country internal matter of MP's arrogance or unruly passenger issue or it will have million complaints on its hands from 192 countries.
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Mar 24, 2017 08:08pm
What a shame. These kind of people are running the Great Country of India.
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Mar 24, 2017 08:10pm
Let's see if anyone can arrest this Thug in Incredible Hindustan.
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Mar 24, 2017 08:26pm
@Zak our future is bright as a nation so don't worry about us instead worry about yours future generation as you mortgage and link your present and future to China in the shape of CPEC
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Mar 24, 2017 08:32pm
How about banning him on international flights too.
Shiv Sena can start their own airline where people like him can beat their own Shiv Sena staff day & night.
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Mar 24, 2017 08:35pm
@rashid ansim he is just a one MP and servant of Indian people . Its we the people who are the king maker next time you would see that how voter of India kick him from MP seat by power of vote
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Mar 24, 2017 08:45pm
@Lootra Shiv sena and BJP fought the general election together but fought separate;y in the state assembly election as well as in local body elections. Shiv sena is worried because good number of its voters have turned to BJP. in the state assembly election, BJP won more seats than shiv sena. Hence it has turned against BJP despite being a partner in the parliament as well as in state assembly
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Mar 24, 2017 08:48pm
@Zak It seems that Nostradamus has reincarnated and has manifested in your form. You have been vested with all future prediction abilities! And you specialize in predicting the future of the Indian sub continent with special emphasis on India. Good going and keep it up :)
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Mar 24, 2017 08:53pm
For these guys once upon a time an oxen cart ride was a luxury.
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Mar 24, 2017 08:56pm
@GULLU BADSHA Very good suggestion. I wish it would really happen. Actually Shivsena and MNS are getting worse day by day. BJP should really be getting away from them. A new good party should run Maharastra state.
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Mar 24, 2017 09:00pm
@Gullu Badsha Absurd. Why would International flight ban him? He didn't ask for privileges creating ruckus in International flight. He did it in govt owned domestic airline, fighting irrationally for his free MP privileges in it. He got angry because staff said they would complain to PM Modi, whom shiv Sena hates. And seeing his dispicable behaviour all Indian airlines banned him, with 3 FIR registered under him. Now law will take its own course.
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Mar 24, 2017 08:56pm
What an attitude. Still believe in slavery
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Mar 24, 2017 08:57pm
@Ashwin Maharastra is run by good party -bjp. Shiv Sena is junior partner not ruling govt there.
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Mar 24, 2017 09:05pm
@Gullu Badsha shivsena cant start own airline ,know why ? demonitization has made their black money "kagaj ke tukde " rags ! hence angry on modi , get it ? they dont have money for buying bicycle . )
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Mar 24, 2017 09:17pm
SORRY FOR THAT COMMENT SIR GOD BLESS YOU
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Mar 24, 2017 09:24pm
@Abhimanue -well said sir!
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Mar 24, 2017 10:31pm
It is our vibrant democracy that has allowed our free press to publish story against a sitting MP. Also some action has already been taken so that this guy is ashamed of himself. Actually this is the problem of all SAARC nations that our current politicians are dubious lot but certainly not all. But thank God government took some action ( more is needed) otherwise most of the governments would have Just kept mum for days without any action.
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Mar 24, 2017 11:10pm
Shivsena MP took law in his own hand, very undemocratic incident happened.
But in Indian subcontinent employees especially from govt category behaves very rudely. By other means they also must be punished.
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Mar 24, 2017 11:40pm
Great decision by the federation of Indian airlines industry and Air India. Such lumpens should be publicly beaten by public with shoes also to teach a lesson.
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Mar 24, 2017 11:59pm
@Zak soon he will be in jail, just wait and watch.
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Mar 25, 2017 12:18am
Such politicians needs to be locked up. They are nothing but goons.
They forget they are nothing but Public Servants. Power goes in their head,
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Mar 25, 2017 12:22am
@Zak nothing to do with ruling govt of India . These small parties needs to be Banned. Sena is nothing but trouble makers in India. They divide people and are nothing but Goons.
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Mar 25, 2017 01:08am
These people are cancer for Indian democracy. Indians should reject them. But no they want to give then chance and "see how they perform"
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Mar 25, 2017 06:18am
@Zak Shows your ignorance about India. He is MP is lower house , not President or PM. If he need chartered flight , he will have to bear the expense from his own pocket. Do some research from independent resource before commenting.
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Mar 25, 2017 06:43am
Another example of the slavery/master mentality in the sub continent. Not too long ago a PIA flight was delayed until the minister showed up. Now this is in India. We all need to develop a sense of responsibility to respect each other and recognize every one's contribution to the society.
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Mar 25, 2017 07:43am
incredible India. Haha...
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Mar 25, 2017 10:33am
@abhimanue, saw a good glimpse of your present where your MP used his sandal, this gives us a good idea what's in store for India in the coming years, where made in China products will be used by your MP's.
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Mar 25, 2017 10:35am
He will be arrested soon.
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Mar 25, 2017 10:59am
@T.m. Khan made in China is in Cpec not in India lol. And shiv Sena is marathi ethnic party with limited influence even in its home state maharastra. It's not a national party to impact the future of india. The future of India is safe under bjp -modi. Thanks for your concern.
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Mar 25, 2017 11:08am
Please don't address him as an Honrable M. P. He should be stripped off being an M. P. And not be allowed to enter the Parliament. He should be tried in a court of law and put behind the bars for good period of time.
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Mar 25, 2017 11:35am
@T.m. Khan. What would tou say about your future after the recent incident of fighting and expressive language in the parliament?
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Mar 25, 2017 11:40am
@Zak. Thats true such things would never happen in Pakistani politics. There have never been any incidents where the ruling party have acted like masters.
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Mar 25, 2017 11:48am
@Zak omg.... You just made my day!!! What a great sense of humour!!! Way to go Zak
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Mar 25, 2017 03:30pm
I'd expect the parliament to disqualify him as an MP. An FIR has alread been filed on him with the Delhi police.
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Mar 25, 2017 05:08pm
@Zak It was good to see that you didn't link this news with Kashmir. Welcome Change!
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