Telugu Desham Party Member of Parliament and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju was gheraoed by Shiv Sena MPs in the Lok Sabha as he did not heed to their demand of revoking the ban on MP Ravindra Gaikwad by Indian airlines.
The Shiv Sena leaders allegedly surrounded Gajapathi Raju soon after the speaker briefly adjourned the Lok Sabha today. Before the adjournment, Gaikwad apologised for his behaviour in the lower house of the Parliament and playing the victim card said “What crime have I done that without probe I am being subjected to a media trial?” He demanded the travel ban on him be lifted.
Gajapathi Raju in his response said that the safety inside an aircraft is of extremely important and the issue is now part of the police inquiry. He further said that the probe is not against an MP but a passenger.
This did not go down well with the Shiv Sena leaders. Shiv Sena leader who is also Union Minister in the NDA government Anant Geete turned around towards the civil aviation minister and literally screamed at him. TMC and the opposition parties also started voicing against the minister which added fuel to the fire. Then the Shiv Sena leaders started gheraoing Gajapathi Raju who was yelled at and heckled. In the entire episode, The TDP MP could not retort but was helplessly slumped at his seat.
BJP leaders were shocked as their allies hit Gajapathi Raju’s bench in anger and did not let him leave. Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Ministers Smriti Irani, Jayant Sinha and Ananth Kumar rushed to the aviation minister’s side to rescue him. Rajnath Singh and Ananth Kumar helped the TDP leader get out of the scene.
The Home Minister Rajnath Singh informed the House that the Civil Aviation Minister will speak to “all stakeholders to reach an amicable solution” as the Shiv Sena MPs were continuing their ruckus.
TDP National General Secretary Nara Lokesh tweeted
Strongly condemn the unparliamentary behaviour of several MPs towards Union Civil Aviation Minister @Ashok_Gajapathi.
— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) April 6, 2017
It may be recalled that the Shiv Sena MP Gaikwad was banned from flying after he assaulted an Air India duty manager Sukumar, with his sandal for 25 times.
