Rahul Gandhi's plane landing: Ajay Rai booked for 'false statements'
Congress leader Ajay Rai has been booked for allegedly making false statements that Varanasi airport authorities denied permission for Rahul Gandhi's plane to land earlier this week, the police confirmed on Saturday. The case was registered at Phulpur Police Station based on the official statement of Ajay Pathak, the working director of Varanasi's Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Babatpur.
Why does this story matter?
Notably, Varanasi is PM Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency. However, Congress seems to have gained substantial ground on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since its Bharat Jodo Yatra, following which the tussle between both has been escalating. The BJP and Congress have also been embroiled in a war of words over the Adani Group controversy. Gandhi recently questioned Modi's alleged ties with Gautam Adani, too.
Case registered under BJP government's pressure: Rai
Reacting to the development, Rai said in a statement, "I am not afraid of registration of cases... it is needed to unmask the BJP government." He also claimed the case had been filed against him "under the pressure of the administration under the BJP government." Rai added that cases were registered against him earlier, too, due to pressure from the saffron party-led central government.
Reason behind Rahul Gandhi's Varanasi visit
Rai reportedly visited the Varanasi airport on Monday when airport authorities denied landing clearance to Gandhi's plane "at the last minute," forcing him to fly back to Delhi, citing heavy aircraft movement due to President Droupadi Murmu's visit. The former Congress president was to arrive in Varanasi and later leave to attend a program in Prayagraj at Kamala Nehru Memorial Hospital, Rai earlier said.
Here's what airport authority said about situation
Meanwhile, airport working director Pathak said in a statement that initially, there was information regarding Gandhi's arrival on Tuesday. However, the air traffic controller of Kerala's Kannur, from where Gandhi's flight took off, later received a message that the Congress leader's flight would be heading straight to the national capital instead of Varanasi, Pathak claimed, as per news agency PTI.
Recent fight between BJP and Congress
The Congress and the BJP have been exchanging blows over the Adani Group-Hindenburg row. Gandhi recently launched an attack on the government in Parliament, emphasizing that Adani's net worth went up to $140 billion from $8 billion under Modi's rule. Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded to these claims on Tuesday and said the Centre had nothing to fear or hide in the case.
SC took cognizance, not right for me to comment: Shah
"The Supreme Court has taken cognizance of the matter. As a minister, if the Supreme Court is seized of the matter, it's not right for me to comment. But there is nothing for the BJP to hide and nothing to be afraid of," said Shah.
