Ravindra Gaikwad reaches Osmanabad, Shiv Sena continues to back him

“It is inappropriate on the part of airlines to blacklist the MP. The behavior of the MP will be evaluated by the parliamentary ethics committee. If he has done wrong he will be punished. However, the behavior of airlines is dictatorial,” Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said.

He further claimed that the issue was being politicised.

“Even MPs are human beings and they are bound to make mistakes at times. The party has made its stand clear that we do not support such behaviour. If any legal action is taken against him he is ready to face it under the laws of the land,” Raut added.

Gaikwad had taken a train from Delhi on Friday night to reach Mumbai. He, however, got off at Vapi Railway station and subsequently took a private vehicle to reach Osmanabad district.

The errant MP is yet to meet senior Shiv Sena leaders after the incident.

“He has not run away. Under our system we need to hear both sides of the story. I would want an inquiry into the functioning of Air India as well. The Parliament should set up a committee to check the functioning of the airline,” Raut said.