Gaikwad row: Aviation Minister faces wrath of Shiv Sena

Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, said in the Lok Sabha today, he will “apologise to Parliament but not to him” (the Air India manager).

Accused of beating up an Air India employee, Ravindra Gaikwad today attended the Lok Sabha proceedings for the first time after the incident last month.

After being unable to book flight tickets on various airlines, the Shiv Sena MP took a chartered plane to Delhi which was reportedly booked by the party leadership.

As soon as the House met for the day, Shiv Sena leader Anandrao Adsul said the party has been cooperating on the issue since the controversy broke out. "He is present and will make a statement. Either you allow him (to speak) now or later today, he should be allowed (to speak)," he said.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said he can speak during Zero Hour but not during Question Hour.

Before Adsul spoke, Sena members raised slogans against Air India when Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju rose to reply to a question in regional airports.

The Aviation Minister however, refused to intervene on the matter of flying ban on Ravindra Gaikwad and said, law would take its own course.

At this, Anand Geete and another Shiv Sena MPs started shouting and protesting. so much so that other ministers had to come and shield the Aviation Minister.

Gaikwad, the Osmanabad MP, had last month allegedly abused and assaulted a 60-year-old duty manager of the national carrier with slippers for not being able to fly business class despite having reportedly boarded an all-economy Pune-New Delhi flight.

Inputs by NH Web Desk.