After MoCA's request, Air India lifts ban on Ravindra Gaikwad

New Delhi: Accepting the apology of Shiv Sena’s Member of Parliament Ravindra Gaikwad, the Air India finally lifted the ban it had imposed on the politician.

The move came after the Ministry of Civil Aviation wrote to Air India, requesting it to remove the ban, on Thursday last.

After this step of the state-run airlines, other private airlines are also expected to end the ban. It could be recalled that the airlines collectively imposed the indefinite ban on Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad for assaulting one of the AI employees in March last.

The decision regarding removal of ban was taken after Home Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with Sena MP Anand Geete and Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, who was gheraoed earlier by the Sena MPs inside Lok Sabha.

The Air India had earlier stated that they will lift the ban only after Gaikwad will unconditionally apologise to the Air India employee.

What Gaikwad had said:

• Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday last, Gaikwad demanded the ban against him be lifted and claimed that he was being subjected to a media trial.
• “What sin have I committed? What crime have I done that without probe I am being subjected to a media trial?” he had questioned.
• He, however, had apologised to the Parliament for his behaviour. “I apologise to the Parliament if I’ve caused any hurt, but not to the Air India official,” Ravindra Gaikwad said while speaking in the Lok Sabha.
• Gaikwad had played a victim as he claimed that he was manhandled by the Air India employee.