The Prime Minister’s Office has sought a report from the Civil Aviation Ministry on incidents of special concessions in Air India flights involving VVIPs.
The incident involving Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and J&K Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh occurred on June 24, with three passengers being offloaded from a Leh-New Delhi flight to accommodate the Ministers. On Monday an Air India flight from Mumbai to New York with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on board, was reportedly delayed by nearly an hour to accommodate a member of his entourage.
The Civil Aviation Ministry has asked for a report from Air India on what exactly happened in the two events, Civil Aviation Secretary R. N. Choubey told reporters here.
Apologising for the inconvenience caused, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju said there were two aspects to the incidents. “One is putting in strategies, which in future will avoid such incidence and the other thing is to get out the truth of what really happened.”
Asked about whether the Prime Minister should step in and take action against the Minister, Mr. Raju replied, “It is too small an issue to pull the Prime Minister in. Since his Office has made a reference to it, it is our duty to get the truth. Let all the reports come in and we will give him the truth and whatever he decides is left to him.”
Mr. Rijiju on Thursday apologised to the passengers who were not allowed to board a Delhi-bound Air India flight from Leh last week, to accommodate him.
He said he was never informed about the de-boarding of three passengers and “this step would have never been appreciated if brought to the notice on the same day.”
Mr. Fadnavis on Thursday said reports accusing him of delaying the AI flight were misleading and warned of initiating proceedings of criminal defamation.“I reiterate, the reports of me delaying flight are misleading. In fact when I’d already boarded how can I say I won’t travel without delegation?,” he tweeted.
