‘Unaware’ Kiren Rijiju says sorry
J&K Dy. CM lodges plaint against pilot
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-07-03 03:54 GMT
New Delhi: The move to offload some passengers on June 24 to accommodate minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju along with J&K deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh and an aide led to some delay in the flight. Mr Rijiju, who had claimed earlier that it was not a “delay” as the flight’s departure had been advanced due to technical reasons, later changed tack and “apologised”, saying he was not aware that some others had not been allowed to board.
“Air India is a government PSU, (and) we as ministers have the moral responsibility if any passenger has undergone any inconvenience. We must say sorry to them on behalf of the government and ensure that such incidents do not occur in future,” he said.
But the Maharashtra CM and J&K deputy chief minister remained defiant and decided to brazen it out. Mr Nirmal Singh also lodged a complaint against the Air India pilot. He targeted the pilot and other staff of the Leh-Delhi flight of June 24, alleging rude behaviour and complained to civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju about it in a letter.
“Through this communication I am lodging a complaint against all those officers including Saran, the pilot, who not only brings disrepute to the national air carrier but also causes anguish to the people of Ladakh, J&K, whom I represent as deputy chief minister,” Mr Singh wrote in the letter.