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Sena MP Gaikwad May be Allowed to Fly Soon as Govt Mulls Change in Rule

New Delhi: After being grounded by major airlines for assaulting a member of the Air India staff, Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad may be allowed to fly again as the government is mulling a change in the rules.

The Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) is silent on many issues.

“We are working on the CAR for unruly passengers. We need to have a balanced approach,” said Gajapathi Raju, Civil Aviation Minister.

According to sources, there is an attempt to change the CAR as it does not have a provision to ban any passenger.

The Civil Aviation Minister held a meeting over the Gaekwad issue and discussed how long can the ban continue. Also, about the future no-fly rules and what’s the procedure and steps involved. The meeting was attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Shiv Sena MPs too.

ALSO READ: Booked by Delhi Police, Barred By Airlines, Sena MP Gaikwad Forced to Take Train

According to sources, the Shiva Sena MPs raised the issue that members need to travel by air and there is no rule which debars anyone except if they threaten someone.

The Speaker agreed, but in view of the public anger asked them to wait and think of a middle path, said sources.

Ravindra Gaikwad may move a privilege motion in Parliament against airlines after most private carriers blacklisted him by putting his name on a ‘no fly’ list in support of Air India.

A privilege motion is a notice by an MP against someone accused of breach of Parliamentary privileges, the rights and immunities which MPs enjoy. A privilege motion is granted precedence over ordinary business because it concerns matters of great importance or urgency.

ALSO READ: Sena Protests Flight Ban on MP Gaikwad, Minister Cites Passenger Safety

The Shiv Sena has come out in support of Gaikwad by enforcing a bandh in Osmanabad district in Maharashtra on Monday. Osmanabad is Gaikwad’s constituency. Shiv sainiks were seen forcing shops to down shutters in Omerga and Lohara talukas of the district.

Air India and other domestic airlines have blacklisted Gaikwad, forcing him to travel by train. The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), with Jet Airways, IndiGo, GoAir and Spicejet as members, has taken a “strong view of the incident” and decided to bar Gaikwad from flying.

ALSO READ: Let There Be a Murder Case, Ranted Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad While Assaulting AI Staffer

First Published: March 27, 2017, 6:33 PM IST