Ravindra Gaikwad, Shiv Sena MP on hitting Air India staff: I hit him with a sandal 25 times

We have constituted a committee to look into the action we can take against the MP, Air India's spokesperson told ANI.

Updated: March 23, 2017 5:27 PM IST

By Shubhang Chauhan

Ravindra Gaikwad, Shiv Sena MP on hitting Air India staff: I hit him with a sandal 25 times
Photo: ANI

Mumbai, March 23: Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad on Thursday hit an employee of Air India with his sandal over seat issue. Instead of apologising for hitting the employee, Gaikwad remained defiant and said that he hit the crew member with a sandal, 25 times. Speaking to ANI, the Shiv Sena MP said, “Yes, I had hit the staff.” Accusing the staff of hurling abuses at him, he asked if people wanted him to hear the foul words quietly.

As per the reports, Ravindra Gaikwad had a fight over seat issues. Following which, the airline ordered an inquiry into the matter. Gaikwad was quoted by NDTV saying, “I hit the Air India staff over 25 times with my slippers because he misbehaved.” Air India staff who was hit by the MP told ANI that the MP became abusive, “When I told him what he’s asking isn’t possible he (Shiv Sena MP R.Gaikwad) became abusive and used foul language.”

“R Gaikwad hit me, used bad words & not only broke my specs but humiliated me in front of the whole crew,” added the Air India staff. The AI staff in his complaint letter wrote: God save our country if this is the culture & behavior of our MPs.

“We have constituted a committee to look into the action we can take against the MP,” Air India’s spokesperson told ANI. Gaikwad is a first time MP from Osmanabad. As per reports, the scuffle broke out because the MP was granted a seat in economy class instead of business class. On the incident, the MP from Osmanabad said, “I bought a ticket of business class but was given a seat in economy and the airlines did not pay any attention upon complaining.”

The MP received criticism from political guns over this issue and the politicians such as Rajeev Shukla said that the matter should have been taken to higher authority instead of creating a ruckus. Gaikwad had an early morning flight from Pune to New Delhi.

Also Read:

For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest India News on India.com.

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts Cookies Policy.