Ravindra Gaikwad, who hit steward with a shoe repeatedly, prompts fury by asking in parliament: ‘What wrong have I done?’
An Indian politician who attacked a flight steward after being refused a business-class seat has caused uproar in parliament by demanding his ban on air travel be overturned.
Ravindra Gaikwad made international headlines last month after footage emerged of the Shiv Sena politician repeatedly striking a steward with his sandal onboard an Air India flight.
He admitted hitting the 60-year-old steward about two dozen times during the altercation on a flight from Pune to Delhi. Gaikwad has had to travel by train after the airline filed a police complaint and banned him from its flights, prompting other airlines to follow suit.
ANI (@ANI_news) WATCH: Unedited footage of Shiv Sena MP R Gaikwad roughing up Air India staff (NOTE: STRONG LANGUAGE) pic.twitter.com/idFr8MpUTo
The MP prompted outrage in India’s lower house when he demanded the ban be lifted. “I hope for justice ... What wrong have I done? What is my crime that there is a media trial without investigation?” he asked, as MPs screamed across the chamber at one another.
Gaikwad compared his situation with prejudice endured by Mahatma Gandhi; the independence movement leader was ejected from a first-class train carriage in South Africa, then under British rule, spurring his quest for civil rights.
Korean Air boss's daughter guilty of breaking aviation law in 'nut rage' case Read more
India’s aviation minister, Ashok Gajapathi Raju, refused to lift Gaikwad’s ban, leading to chaotic scenes inside parliament as Shiv Sena politicians forced an adjournment through noisy protest.
“Safety is important and safety will not be compromised,” Raju said, defending the decision to bar the MP.
Indian MPs often shuttle between Delhi and their constituencies during the parliament session. Gaikwad last month made the nearly 1,000-mile (1,600km) journey to his hometown in western Maharashtra state by train after an airline cancelled his ticket.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan pleaded with politicians to resolve the dispute amicably. “He cannot repeatedly take the train for such long-distance travel,” she told reporters outside parliament.
sajet007 on April 6th, 2017 at 19:48 UTC »
Now his party (shiv sena) says he did nothing wrong and if they don't remove the ban they will stop all the air india flights at Mumbai. Air India just increased their security. Shiv sena is literally a gang which is now a powerful political party. Edit: There was no business class but he was to arrogant and stupid to understand that.
Reesj on April 6th, 2017 at 18:34 UTC »
First i was like what justice? But it goes on to say he repeatedly has to take trains for over 1k km to come to parliament :)
noneofyourbiness on April 6th, 2017 at 17:59 UTC »
That guy definitely beats his wife.