Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju addressing a press conference
Responding to questions on a potentially major security risk involved in an Air India flight being delayed to accommodate his colleague Kiren Rijiju, Union Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju today admitted he still carries a matchbox on flights even though it is not allowed.
"I am a smoker, I do smoke, when I was stopped being frisked at the airport, the matchbox came with me," Mr Raju told reporters, sharing that he did have to turn everything in at the Paris airport.
"In Paris, there is security. They requested me to turn out my pockets. My matchbox, my cigarettes and my ashtray was turned out there. They were all returned to me, including my matchbox," the minister said, fishing out his portable ashtray.
The minister had a point to the story.
"The whole idea is that our security in the country, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has put the match box as a prohibited item. It is not so in some other countries. I was suggesting that security should be meaningful not obtrusive," he said.
Asked if average Indians could also claim the right to carry their matchbox during flights, Mr Raju replied: "Being a smoker I know the ill-effects and I would like my fellow citizens to be non-smokers."
The minister was addressing a press conference on a massive controversy over an Air India flight being delayed to accommodate Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, who were allowed to enter the aircraft even after the doors were shut for take-off.