Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad hits Air India staff: Why did the crew not restrain him?

I have just seen a photograph of Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad who has just informed all and sundry that he hit an Air India steward 25 times for insulting him. Looks like a skinny little lightweight.

It seems the lofty MP was placed in economy class though he had a business class seat. An upgrade was not possible because it was an all-economy flight. So much for service to the people. When he complained about this maltreatment (come on, guys, give him a break, he is an MP, a VIP, oh mighty One) he did what comes naturally to those bestowed with greater and grander body and soul. He took off his slipper and he whacked the steward 25 times.

This is utterly acceptable behaviour for those who believe they are God’s gift to mankind and we, the people, are pretty unfair that we should even question it. Instead, we should praise him for the insult he bore. After all, it is very insulting to men of such stature to sit with the great unwashed in a cattle car and even more insulting to be abused by being told by the steward that he would report the MP to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This, of course, seeing as how the Shiv Sena is a BJP ally, not as if the MP was a Congressman. Complaining to Modi ranks there with trolls talking dirty and no wonder the lordly member of the house felt justified in slapping a slipper 25 times.

Remember that Mithun Reddy fellow in Tirupathi who did much the same to an Air India official in 2015 for not allowing him and his family to board after they arrived late.

So, while I am totally on Gaikwad’s side and feel for him in a nation where some people are naturally and deservedly more equal than others and must be treated with vats of respect I am a little bit puzzled. This wimpy little man got in 25 whacks. That must have taken over a minute at a slap every two seconds. What the heck was the Air India steward doing? What the heck was the rest of the crew doing? These cabin crew walk off full flights if they have passed their flight and duty time by one minute. Yet, they all stood there and watched while this man took to his shoe so many times.

Source:-Firstpost
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Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad hits Air India staff: Why India needs a no-fly list

If a catalyst was needed to create a ‘No Fly’ list of unruly air passengers in India, Thursday's incident involving a VIP flyer hitting an airline staffer should provide enough impetus for it. According to a complaint filed by R Sukumar, Duty Manager of Air India, Shiv Sena MP Ravinder Gaikwad refused to get off a flight which had landed at Delhi from Pune at around 09:40 on Thursday morning. Sukumar said that when he asked the MP to disembark from the plane, since the flight had to leave for Goa and 115 passengers were waiting to get on to it, the MP became abusive. Gaikwad allegedly also had a problem with Sukumar speaking in English. Then the MP (by his own admission) started beating the Duty Manager. Sukumar has ended his complaint by stating “God save our country if this is the culture and behaviour of our MPs.”

Speaking to TV channels, Gaikwad did not once deny that he had assaulted an employee of Air India. He was also seen bragging about how he had hit the airline staffer 25 times. Gaikwad was also heard saying that he will file a complaint with the Civil Aviation Minister A Gajapathi Raju as well as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

Neither Gaikwad nor Air India is a stranger to controversy involving flights and MPs. An airline veteran says there are quite a few instances of MPs delaying flights, demanding special treatment. But anyone physically assaulting an airline employee is still not a common occurrence. Perhaps Gaikwad has bitten off more than he can chew this time?
On its part, Air India first did what comes naturally to any 'sarkari' company in our country – it sought a report.

The report submitted by Deputy GM (Commercial), Harendra Singh, says that the MP demanded Air India’s CMD or another director level officer to come on board the aircraft and sort out his issue. This implies that he didn't want mere airport in-charges to address his grievances, he wanted topmost officer running Air India. Would the MP have made the same demands if he were travelling by a private airline, one wonders. But what exactly caused the MP to fly into a rage? The report by Harendra Singh says that the MP wanted to know why he was asked to fly economy class when he held a ticket for business class.
Representational image. Reuters

An Air India spokesperson says an FIR has been lodged in this incident, and added that Air India is “examining the creation of a no-fly list of unruly passengers.” Sources tell Firstpost that a second FIR has also been lodged by the airline, accusing the MP of delaying the flight. If a no-fly list is created after this unprecedented and boorish behaviour by an elected representative of the people, perhaps we will have to thank Gaikwad. Such a list would not only create some apprehension in the minds of people about what is and isn't acceptable behaviour in the skies, it would also arm airlines to better deal with nuisances.

Source:-Firstpost
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