Pappu Yadav has been accused of misbehaving on a flight
A parliamentarian from Bihar, Pappu Yadav, allegedly misbehaved on a Jet Airways flight and threatened to hit an airhostess with slippers, forcing the pilot to call for security.
The airhostess has complained to the airline management that Mr Yadav "unfastened his seat belt, manhandled her and pushed her aside to get out of the aircraft" on a flight from Patna to Delhi on Tuesday afternoon.
The pilot, while landing, called the Air Traffic Control (ATC) requesting security to handle a "disruptive passenger."
Airline sources say Mr Yadav had been difficult from the beginning; he didn't follow instructions to switch off his mobile, wear his seat belt or keep his laptop bag in the overhead chamber.
Trouble erupted when the politician reportedly spilled some food on his laptop bag, raised his leg and asked an airhostess to clean it up. When she refused, he allegedly threatened to hit her with a chappal (slippers).
The airhostess complained to the pilot, who then spoke to the ATC.
Jet Airways said in a statement, "The captain of the flight 9W-728 before landing at Delhi requested ATC for security assistance at the gate due to a disruptive guest on board. The guest was led by security agencies on arrival."
The 47-year-old MP from Madhepura in Bihar was expelled last month from the Rashtriya Janata Dal for anti-party activities. He has denied misbehaving on the flight, saying that "in 35 years, such allegations have not been made against me."
Mr Yadav says Jet Airways should sack those who have made the allegations. "If I have so much as raised my voice I am willing to apologise. But where is the complaint? Where are the witnesses?" he told NDTV.
Responding to specific allegations by the crew, he said: "If food or something is spilled, does the passenger or VIP who is travelling...does he clean it? You tell me."