Don't care about murder, many cases against me: Sena MP to AI attendant
New Delhi: Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who hit an Air India staffer with his slipper at Delhi airport, on Thursday bragged about how he’d done it 25 times after refusing to get off Flight AI 852.
But this extraordinary portrayal of arrogance may not be the worst part of the incident. According to reports, the 83-second video clip that has emerged shows an Air India stewardess repeatedly pleading with the MP to stop hitting the staffer, as he was a ‘democratic leader’ and a ‘role model’.
At one point in the video, the stewardess is heard telling the MP, “Aap fenk denge toh murder case ho jayega na, sir (If you throw him down, it will be a murder case, sir)”. The MP is heard replying: “Hone do na, bahut cases hai hamare upar (Let it happen, there are many cases against me).”
“Yes, I beat him as he misbehaved with me. I hit Air India staffer 25 times” Gaikwad said to the media on Thursday, adding that the staffer “raised his voice” and said “What MP? I will talk to Modi”.
"Do you expect me to hear their abuses quietly? What should have I done? He first misbehaved with me," Gaikwad told ANI. “I won’t take abuses from anyone. I am a Shiv Sena MP, not BJP,” he added.
He further said that he had filed a complaint regarding the seating arrangement but nobody was there to answer the problem, adding that he had take such an action.
"I will complain about this misbehaviour in the Parliament. They can complain whoever they want to, I will give my answer," he said.
Meanwhile, the Air India staffer, Sukumar, who was hit by Gaikwad said that the MP broke his glasses, used bad words and humiliated him in front of the entire crew.
"When I told him what he (Gaikwad) is asking isn't possible, he became abusive and started using foul language. God save our country if this is the culture and behaviour of our MPs," the Air India staffer said.
Gaikwad was travelling from Pune to New Delhi when the scuffle broke out over the sitting arrangement.
The MP claimed that his ticket was for business class but Air India provided him economy class.
An Air India spokesperson said a team has been constituted to probe the entire incident. “FIR lodged, examining creation of no fly list of unruly passengers,” Air India said.
Air India will also register another FIR against Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad for forcibly holding the flight and delaying it for 40 minutes.
Reacting to the incident, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said, "No political party will encourage physical assault. It should never have happened."
Incidentally, Gaikwad was one of 11 Shiv Sena MPs who allegedly force-fed a chapati to a Muslim catering supervisor at the new Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi, even though he was on a Ramzan fast.
