I did not put pressure on the pilot to land aircraft: Rahul Gandhi
Brushing aside the statement made by state Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi that Rahul Gandhi had forced his helicopter to land in zero visibility, the young MP denied doing so.
By ET Bureau |
Brushing aside the statement made by state Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi that Rahul Gandhi had forced his helicopter to land in zero visibility, the young MP denied doing so and said that there was proper visibility when they landed in Sitapur. But the Mayawati government was quick to grab the opportunity and claimed that the helicopter carrying Rahul landed in Sitapur on Monday after sunset when there was darkness all around and very low visiblity.
Rita Bahuguna Joshi had claimed that Rahul Gandhi had asked the pilot to land in zero visibility on Monday in Sitapur as he was eager to meet backward caste workers in the district as per his pre-scheduled program. She said that Rahul Gandhi did not want to disappoint the gatheirng and showing his commitment to the people forced the pilot to make a landing in zero visibility.
But Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that he was a pilot himself and there was enough visibility to land the chopper in Sitapur. He said that Joshi was not a pilot to judge such issues and he did not force the pilot to land in zero visibility. He said that he was the last person to do such things and said that he does not even break the SPG security cover.
However later in the day the state government said that the SPG security norms and aviation rules were broken during Rahul’s visit.
Additional Cabinet Secretary Vijay Shankar Pandey said that the state government had written to the central Home ministry asking it to ensure that safety norms during the road and air travel of Rahul Gandhi while in UP should not be broken.
He said that in case of any mishap due to such lapses the state government would not be responsible.
He said that security had been breached during Rahul Gandhi’s two day tour of the state when the leader did not use the special vehicle provided by the SPG but traveled in a car provided by the party workers.
He said that on Monday the chopper carrying Rahul Gandhi landed after sunset when there was darkness all around and very low visibility due to dense trees in the surroundings.
The helicopter descended with the help of the high power light fitted under the aircraft and landed some distance away from the chalked out H mark, he said.
Rita Bahuguna Joshi had claimed that Rahul Gandhi had asked the pilot to land in zero visibility on Monday in Sitapur as he was eager to meet backward caste workers in the district as per his pre-scheduled program. She said that Rahul Gandhi did not want to disappoint the gatheirng and showing his commitment to the people forced the pilot to make a landing in zero visibility.
But Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that he was a pilot himself and there was enough visibility to land the chopper in Sitapur. He said that Joshi was not a pilot to judge such issues and he did not force the pilot to land in zero visibility. He said that he was the last person to do such things and said that he does not even break the SPG security cover.
However later in the day the state government said that the SPG security norms and aviation rules were broken during Rahul’s visit.
Additional Cabinet Secretary Vijay Shankar Pandey said that the state government had written to the central Home ministry asking it to ensure that safety norms during the road and air travel of Rahul Gandhi while in UP should not be broken.
He said that in case of any mishap due to such lapses the state government would not be responsible.
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He said that security had been breached during Rahul Gandhi’s two day tour of the state when the leader did not use the special vehicle provided by the SPG but traveled in a car provided by the party workers.
He said that on Monday the chopper carrying Rahul Gandhi landed after sunset when there was darkness all around and very low visibility due to dense trees in the surroundings.
The helicopter descended with the help of the high power light fitted under the aircraft and landed some distance away from the chalked out H mark, he said.
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