Shiv Sena MP slaps Air India official
23 Mar 2017 |
| Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad assaulted an Air India employee on being informed of the non-availability of business class seats on an all economy flight. Admitting to the assault, he noted, "Yes, I beat him with my sandal 25 times".
The employee has lodged an FIR with the Delhi Police.
An official statement noted that the airline would look into creation of "no-fly list".
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Air India slapping incident: Major airlines stand together
24 Mar 2017 |
| Following the assault on an Air India staffer, major players SpiceJet and IndiGo extended their support towards the "no fly list".
This follows Air India's own decision to blacklist the MP. "We will support a no-fly list", said IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh.
Stating that he is not ashamed he dared Air India to take action.
The issue raises concerns on parliamentarians' impunity in India.
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Lifetime ban on convicts: Election commission backs Supreme Court
21 Mar 2017 |
| The Election Commission of India conveyed to the SC that it supported lifetime ban on convicts from contesting in polls. The ECI also favoured towards setting up special courts to decide cases against public servants and representatives.
The ECI was responding to a PIL filed by BJP spokesperson Ashwini Kumar Upadhyaya on setting up of special courts and highlighted its efforts towards decriminalizing politics.
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Disqualification on criminal grounds
FACT |
| The Supreme Court in 2013 struck down section 8(4) of the Representation of People's Act which allowed for legislators to continue post filing of appeal within 3 months of conviction. The matter has also been covered under Articles 102 and 191 of the constitution. |
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Not his first time
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| Gaikwad was part of a group of 11 MPs who forced a fasting Muslim man to eat chapati on Ramzan, at Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi in 2014. The Maharashtra government promised appropriate action.
Since his election the MP has reportedly brawled with the BJP leaders in his constituency.
A college teacher by profession, he is also known to have slapped his students.
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Charges
FACT |
| The MP has over 17 charges against him under various sections of the IPC including homicide (Section 304) and rioting (Section 148). He also has one charge each under criminal intimidation (Section 506) and voluntarily causing hurt (Section 123). |
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United Indian airlines bar abusive Sena MP from flying
25 Mar 2017 |
| A day after Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad assaulted an Air India employee, all domestic airlines barred him from flying with them for an indefinite period.
After AI cancelled his Delhi-Pune ticket, Indigo followed suit, forcing him to take a train.
The Federation of Indian Airlines announced it had taken a "strong view of the incident".
An FIR has also been lodged against Gaikwad.
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AI slapping incident: Government in a fix amid Sena protests
28 Mar 2017 |
| The civil aviation ministry, which was considering revoking airlines' ban on MP Ravindra Gaikwad amid Shiv Sena protests, reportedly halted its decision after top-level intervention suggesting upholding of rights of both the MP and airlines.
Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju will hold talks with colleagues before deciding.
The government is worried Sena, which owns its own aviation union, might start a major fight.
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Air India cancels Shiv Sena MP Gaikwad's booking again
28 Mar 2017 |
| Air India has cancelled Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad's flight booking from Mumbai to Delhi, despite mounting pressure from political parties to revoke the ban.
This is because the MP has still refused to apologize for beating a 60-year old AI employee with his foot wear.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Ministry is looking at whether airlines can ban travellers under existing rules.
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