Those with power threatening to be violent: Cong on Ravindra Gaikwad issue

Slamming the Shiv Sena who created a ruckus in the Lok Sabha on the flying ban on Ravindra Gaikwad, senior Congress leader Majeed Memon on Friday asserted that those sitting in the power are themselves threatening to be violent.

"The situation that was created over Ravindra Gaikwad at the Lok Sabha today is very peculiar. It's difficult to appreciate how this democracy works; those who are sitting in power are themselves threatening to be violent," Memon told ANI.

Memon further stated that the government should take action against these people either for intimidation or threat in the country.

"It's difficult to understand that those who are responsible for maintaining law and order in the country are themselves preaching of breaking it. The government should take criminal action against these people either for intimidation or threat. Lets us wait till April 10 to see what results comes out in this matter," said Memon.

Resonating similar views, Congress leader Nawab Malik stated that if Gaikwad apologies he will not become small but would rather learn from his mistake.

"The Shiv Sena said that they are not going to attend NDA meeting on the issue of Ravindra Gaikwad. We all know that, Gaikwad has committed a crime and it is a responsibility by him to surrender before court. No one becomes small after an apology, Gaikwad should understand this," said Malik told ANI.

Earlier in the day, hours after Gaikwad wrote an apology letter to Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju requesting to lift the travel ban imposed on him, the ministry said the letter of the Shiv Sena MP is being examined.

According to sources, a meeting took place between Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha and Air India Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) at Airlines Housex where the process to lift the travel ban on Gaikwad, imposed by all airlines post his altercation with an Air India employee was discussed.

Expressing his regret for thrashing an Air India employee last month, Gaikwad said it could have been no one's intention to have let the situation aggravate to the level that it eventually did.

This came hours after Air India, according to sources, decided to lift the travel ban on the Shiv Sena leader if he tenders an apology.

Earlier today, the Shiv Sena threatened to boycott the NDA meeting if the ruling dispensation failed to resolve the matter by April 10.

During the Zero Hour, there were unruly scenes with the Shiv Sena members protesting against the ban and even thumping the desk of the Civil Aviation Minister in anger.

Gaikwad tendered an apology to the Parliament but insisted that he owed no apology to the airline official as he sought removal of the ban imposed on him by domestic airlines.