After Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad was banned on the six major flights after he assaulted a senior staffer of Air India on Thursday, the government is changing the rules so that he can fly again, according to the sources. After that, the MP was forced to take a train from Mumbai to Delhi after the ban.
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On Monday morning, political parties like the Samajwadi Party said this sort of ban is “against fundamental rights”. Sources say the government is thinking of amending the Civil Aviation Requirements rules to “balance service and safety requirements”.
Airlines are empowered under these rules to prevent entry to passengers, but their powers to do so may be severely restricted if the government decides, say sources. “Rights of passengers will need to be respected,” the sources said. In the parliament, it is said that the rules are same for every person including the MP’s also, but Sumitra Mahajan said that everytime any MP has to attend some meeting they can’t take a train.
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The Civil Aviation Minister asserted, “Violence can be a disaster in civil aviation, airlines are empowered to deny boarding to any passenger whose demeanour is incorrect.” The minister said while airlines had a good safety record because of this rule, “never in my wildest dreams did I expect that an MP will get caught in such an incident.” Mr Raju also said “we cannot have an unequal approach”, but sources say he may be forced to backtrack.