Gaikwad demands justice, says won't apologise to Air India staffer

Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad on Thursday cried foul on the floor of the Lok Sabha and demanded justice by asking for a legitimate investigation in the matter, while asserting that he will not apologise to the Air India staffer who manhandled him and spoke in an offensive manner about the Prime Minister of the nation.

Castigating the media trial, Gaikwad rued that he was dubbed guilty without knowing his side of the story.

"I apologise for my behaviour, but I am not apologetic to the airline official who abused and manhandled me, and spoke in a derogatory manner about the Parliamentarians and the Prime Minister," Gaikwad said in Lok Sabha.

"This behavior was unacceptable. It was only after he insulted the PM and the Parliament that I got upset and hit him. Only that clip was shown to the public. I demand justice. What crime have I committed. Without any proper investigation I have to face media trial," he added.

Comparing his ordeal with what Mahatma Gandhi might have had to face when he was thrown out of a train in South Africa in the pre-Independence era, Gaikwad said the Airlines imposing travel ban on him was like Mahatma Gandhi facing the brunt of apartheid.

Gaikwad also said he had simply asked for a complaint book to register his complaint but the Air India staffer unnecessarily got in to an argument with him.

"While coming out of the plane I asked for the complaint book, which I was told the flight staff did not have at that point of time, however, they registered my complaint. The accusation that I fought for the seat is wrong I did not," he said.

"In the end, a officer cam and asked me who are you to which I asked him who was he and to that he replied, 'Main Air India ka baap hoon.' I further told him that I am an MP, to which he replied, 'MP hua to kya hua? Tu Narendra Modi hai kya?'"

Gaikwad had come into limelight due to the recent incident where he assaulted an Air India staffer by beating him with his slipper.

Gaikwad had also submitted a complaint against Air India before the Delhi Police alleging that he was pushed and yelled on.

In his complaint, Gaikwad, who allegedly manhandled Air India staffer, said he was made to travel by Air India on economy class even as he had business class ticket.

Air India and six private airlines banned the 56-year-old MP from flying as he refused to apologise for the incident that triggered nationwide outrage.