Narendra Modi cracks whip on VIPs who held up Air India planes on whim

New Delhi: With several BJP leaders, including a chief minister, a deputy chief minister and Union ministers, trying to throw their weight around delaying flights, causing inconvenience to travellers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally stepped in and on Tuesday sought a report on the matter from the civil aviation ministry.

The civil aviation ministry cracked the whip, and minister Ashok Gajapati Raju, though evasive in his replies when asked about specific incidents, said he “apologised for the inconvenience caused” to passengers.

He added that “if there was any violation of rules, we will ask why it happened and that it should not happen (in future)”. He also said that he felt the “issue is too small to involve the PM”. But then he went on to say that “since the PMO has sought a report, I have asked my officials to look into it and send a report.”

Some reports emerged that on June 24, three members of an Air Force family, including a child, were offloaded from a Leh-Delhi Air India flight at Leh to accommodate minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju along with J&K deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh and an aide.