Following a 15 day standoff, Air India today lifted the ban on Shiv Sena lawmaker Ravindra Gaikwad, one day after he apologized in the Lok Sabha. On Thursday, the 56-year-old lawmaker also sent a letter to the Civil Aviation Minister expressing his regret over the now infamous episode of 23 March.
The Civil Aviation Ministry wrote to Air India asking it to revoke the ban, ANI reported today. The Times of Indiareported that the government ordered Air India to immediately lift the ban even though the management of the national carrier wanted Gaikwad to apologize to its employee.
Earlier today, the AI Cabin Crew Association (AICCA) on Friday described Gaikwad as a "flight risk."
While Gaikwad apologized to Parliament on Thursday, he has steadfastly refused to apologize to either Air India or its 60-year-old employee whom he assaulted with his slipper over seating allocation on a Pune-New Delhi flight. Gaikwad was upset that he was made to travel economy when he had a ticket for the business class. He refused to deplane.
Gaikwad also claimed that the official had misbehaved with him.
In the face of national outrage, Gaikwad refused to apologize. "Kaahe ka pashchaataap (what is there to repent)?" he said. "I will not apologize...he [AI Manager Sukumar] should come and apologize... then we will see. A 60-year-old man should also know how to behave."
"Maine sandal se pachhis maara, (I rained 25 blows on him with my slipper)," he said.
Last week, the Hindustan Times reported that Gaikwad had tried to get around the ban by using "different honorifics and spellings of his name" to buy tickets including "Ravindra Gaikwad, R Gaikwad, Prof V Ravindra Gaikwad and Prof Ravindra Gaikwad."
Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, he said, "I apologize to Parliament if I've caused any hurt, but not to the Air India official... The AI staff abused me and pulled me by my collar. The AI staff who misbehaved with me is roaming scot-free. But here I am with curbs from all airlines."
Over the course of the past two weeks, Air India thwarted at least two attempts by Gaikwad to book tickets. He has also been banned by five private airlines. Citing sources, ANI reported today that private airlines are likely to follow Air India's decision and revoke their ban.
In his letter to the Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapthi Raju, Gaikwad wrote, "I write to convey my regrets for the unfortunate incident that took place on 23rd March, 2017 in the Air India Flight No. AI-852 seat No. 1F."
"It could have been no one's intention to have let the situation aggravate to the level that it eventually did. While the on-going investigation will bring out the factual sequence of events to fix responsibility, this incident may kindly not be seen as a reason for likely recurrence of such an event in future also," the lawmaker wrote.
10 Cooking Tips For Indian Bachelors By Saransh Goila
Embrace Thy Eggs(01 of10)
Open Image ModalBelieve it or not, cooking an egg is easier than making tea, says Chef Goila. Especially if you stick to simple recipes like sunny side up, bhurji (scrambled) and boiled eggs. Convert these eggs into full meals by stuffing them between two buns or doing open sandwiches with veggies and cheese. Eggs can even be microwaved: they take only a minute to 90 seconds in a mug or a deep cup to cook! (credit:Saransh Goila)
Fruits Make For The Ideal TV Snack(02 of10)
Open Image ModalBuy fruits whenever you see them, though in small quantities, says Chef Goila. They’re perfect for snacking: Goila usually chops them up, adds crushed nuts and potato chips and chaat masala to them with nimbu (lemon) as the ultimate sitcom/ cricket match snack! (credit:Saransh Goila)
Invest In A Blender/ Mixer(03 of10)
Open Image ModalIt’ll cost you under 3,000 rupees, and you can prepare exceptional smoothies and shakes in 5 minutes, says Chef Goila. The best part? You don’t even need to cut or chop much as the blender does the job, even if you just clean and roughly chop the veggies or fruits. Always keep milk and yoghurt handy in your fridge to blend your fruit/ veggies in with. (credit:Saransh Goila)
Make Your 2-Minute Noodles Healthier(04 of10)
Open Image ModalIt's not easy to give up insta-noodles when you're living alone. Make 'em healthy by adding lots of vegetables (match the quantity of veggies you're adding to the noodle) or meat to your noodles, says Chef Goila. You can add your meat/ veggies while your noodles cook or grill and boil these separately to add them later. Bonus tip: While the noodles cook, don't just stand there! Use those 5 extra minutes to blend a smoothie or a shake. (credit:Saransh Goila)
Reinvent Leftovers(05 of10)
Open Image ModalCold leftovers or yucky cafetaria food doesn't have to be a choice anymore. If you have leftovers, simply give them a makeover! Chef Goila gives the following tips: 1. Leftover butter chicken + toss with freshly boiled spaghetti = Lunch is ready. 2. Leftover chopped pizza + beat 4/5 eggs + chopped spinach and mushrooms + seasoning + dry herbs. Mix all in a bowl, add Cheese and bake 10 minutes at 180 C. 3. Make a noodles toastie from leftover noodles. Spread schezwan sauce on the bread, and you're good to go! 4. Toss leftover rice with curd to make curd rice. Or with veggies to make fried rice. Or with readymade soups for a bowl meal. Or with a tempering to make tawa or masala pulao. (credit:Saransh Goila)
#FreezeLikeABoss(06 of10)
Open Image ModalIf you can cook basic curries or gravies, cook just a little bit extra. Then cool the mix for a couple of hours, and finally freeze it into ice cube trays, recommends Chef Goila. This way, you can use the gravy whenever you need, and without thawing the entire amount. Frozen gravies can stay perfect for a month or longer depending on the weather and fridge condition. (credit:Saransh Goila)
Give The Knife A Miss(07 of10)
Open Image ModalBuy cleaned and chopped veggies or fruits from the grocery store or even your veggie seller. Yes this is a possibility now, and it saves you a crazy amount of time, says Chef Goila. It can definitely make cooking seem like less of a chore for the ones with prominent lazy bones. (credit:SkintDad.co.uk/Flickr)
Cater To Your Own Party!(08 of10)
Open Image ModalThrowing a party? Save on your budget by assembling a menu that is a mix of ordered and homemade food, says Chef Goila. For instance, order chicken tikka but use it as a stuffing in a taco which can be assembled at home. Buy a sponge or banana cake, chop it up and top it up with whipped cream and chocolate sauce and nuts. Make two-minute noodles with oodles of cheese and sriracha, stuff these noodles in buns to make a makeshift bunny chow. (credit:Saransh Goila)
Invest In The Basics(09 of10)
Open Image ModalInvest in a heavy-duty, nonstick pan, sharp knife and a WOODEN spoon (please don’t scratch the life out of it with a steel spoon). Chef Goila guarantees that most of your cooking will be in this pan whether it is eggs, chicken, or tossing pasta and vegetables. The better it is at handling heat and food, your chances of failure reduce. Also, a sharp knife means lesser chances of cutting a finger, he adds. (credit:BobPetUK/Flickr)
Use The Internet(10 of10)
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