Kunal Kamra row: Govt has zero tolerance on airline safety issue, says Puri

The government has zero tolerance on the issue of airlines safety and anyone who threatens the physical security of an aircraft while it is mid-air deserves no consideration, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said referring to the incident involving stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra.

While replying to the discussion on the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 in Lok Sabha, Puri said there have been several cases of unruly passengers which do not come to light of the media.

Recalling some of them, he said in one case a passenger banged his fists on the cockpit door while in another case people picked up their handbags and flung them at each other.

Without naming anyone, Puri referred to the January 28 incident in which Kamra allegedly heckled a television journalist.

Kamra was banned by IndiGo from flying with the airline for six months. The ban period was later reduced to three months.

He was sitting in row 13, while another passenger, whom he wanted to heckle was in row 1. Till the aircraft was on the ground, the heckling was taking place.

"I am very proud of the fact that I am a minister who on the issues of security wants to bring zero tolerance. I do not care, who it is, whether it is the member of this House or anyone else; anyone who threatens the physical security of an aircraft, inside the aircraft, while it is airborne, deserves no consideration," Puri said.

The minister said in such cases every airline is required to follow a procedure set out by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

According to the procedure, the complaint has to come from the pilot of the aircraft who makes the complaint. Then, the aviation company sets up an internal committee which looks into the matter.