Sena's motion on Gaikwad row today

Party all set to escalate controversy

The Shiv Sena is all set to escalate the controversy over the travel ban imposed by major airlines on party MP Ravindra Gaikwad by giving notice to move an adjournment motion.

The Shiv Sena Parliamentary Party held a series of meetings on Wednesday to discuss the way ahead after the civil aviation ministry’s reluctance in getting the air travel ban on Gaikwad revoked, despite the MP expressing regret over the incident.

Gaikwad, a Lok Sabha member from Osmanabad, was banned from flying by major airlines last month after he slapped an Air India staffer. Reports stated that the Sena had arranged a chartered flight to ferry Gaikwad to Delhi to be present in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

A source in the Shiv Sena said party president Uddhav Thackeray has directed all MPs to be present in the House on Friday and give notice to move an adjournment motion.

They said senior Shiv Sena leader and Union minister Anant Geete, too, has been directed to be present in the House when the issue would be raised in the Lok Sabha.

Sena members feel the government took a unilateral decision on the issue without hearing Gaikwad’s version of the incident.

Party MPs Anand Adsul, Chandrakant Khaire, Krupal Tumane, Arvind Sawant, Shrirang Barne sought to know from Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan the status of the notice to move a privilege motion against a “syndicate of airlines” for imposing the travel ban on Gaikwad.

“If it is not resolved, then we will be forced to protest. Being part of the government, we do not want to create a scene but will be forced to do so. This (air travel) is his (Gaikwad) constitutional right,” Adsul said in the Lok Sabha.

“Under which law has his travel by air been banned,” Adsul sought to know from the government.