The Shiv Sena member of parliament, Ravindra Gaikwad's behavior touched a new low after boarding a flight from Pune to Delhi by Air India. It appears that Gaikwad was irritated that he didn't get to travel in the Business Class. An AI official has stated to TOI, "He had booked an open ticket on the Pune-Delhi flight AI-852. But the aircraft which was pulled in to operate the flight had an all-economy configuration. Gaikwad's staff in Delhi were informed about this on Wednesday. They decided to go ahead and said that the politician would board the flight,''
Gaikwad's antics
Gaikwad traveled but refused to disembark at Delhi.
He insisted that the chairman and MD should apologize to him.The duty manager went up to the MP and apologized and requested him to disembark from the plane. The MP pulled out his slipper and beat the 60-year-old manager 25 times. He also broke his spectacles. Later the MP, in an interview to Times Channel was brazen about his act and said he had done nothing wrong. He dared anybody to take any action against him
Airline workers infuriated
The act of the MP infuriated the workers of the airlines and in a rare show of unity, all the major airlines decided to blacklist him. He was barred from traveling on any flight. The police which were watching this episode acted in a reprehensible manner, took no action and waited for a signal from the political masters to act.
Finally, a FIR was registered against the MP under section 308 of the IPC. The MP was also denied entry to the airport on a return flight the next day and had to catch a train to Mumbai.
When news leaked that a FIR had been filed against the MP he developed cold feet and got down from the train at Mathura complaining he had heart pain.
it appears all his earlier bravado had evaporated.
Future
The act of the MP raises questions about the conduct of the Shiv Sena, which is losing ground all over Maharashtra. The party is a shadow of the one created by Bala sahib Thackeray. It will have to do a lot of introspection to avoid negative publicity which such incidents generate.
The Shiv Sena is an ally of the ruling BJP led by Narendra Modi at the center. It is incumbent on Modi to enforce guidelines for MP's. The PM who is so quick to comment on twitter is silent. One hopes he will issue guidelines for members of parliament.
