Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's Biting Tweet On "Trolls Who Enrich His Life" Defines Tragicomic

In a biting tweet shared this Friday, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri hit back at "trolls" who are demanding a resumption of international flight operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr Puri took to Twitter on Friday to share information on domestic passenger flights that were resumed on May 25 after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown. His comments section soon became the hub of a heated debate between Twitter users - with some demanding that international travel be resumed and others against the idea. 

One Twitter user replied to the minister's tweet saying that international flights should be banned till the end of August to avoid a second wave of infections. "International flights into Bharat should not be allowed until August end. Otherwise it will be a second imported wave will happen (sic)," the Twitter user wrote. 

Mr Puri responded by tweeting that he should say this to trolls who have been demanding a resumption of international travel. 

"Would you like to to say that to the trolls who enrich my life on a daily basis?" he wrote in a tweet that defines tragicomic. 

Would you like to to say that to the trolls who enrich my life on a daily basis?

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 12, 2020

His tweet has collected a ton of responses, with some social media users agreeing with him and others pointing out that resuming international flights would help Indians stranded in different countries. 

Sir..
We are not trolls. We are stranded UAE residents here away from our family and livelihood. You need not open the International flights for tourism purpose, but atleast for rescuing us you can open flights to UAE for a month so that everyone reaches their home properly ????????

— Ajantha Jeg (@AjanthaJeg) June 12, 2020

Sir we aren't trolling you at all. We have been always requesting you to understand our situation by all the source. So you could take a fair decision in our favour as we are stranded in India for more than 90 days and our families wanting us to come back. Hope you understand!!????????

— Husain K V (@husainkv02) June 12, 2020

Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India. However, special repatriation flights are being operated by Air India and other airlines to countries across the world under the Vande Bharat Mission.

Last week, Mr Puri had said that India would take a decision on resumption of international passenger flights as soon as other countries ease restrictions on entry of foreign nationals. 

"A decision to resume regular international operations will be taken as soon as countries ease restrictions on entry of foreign nationals. Destination countries have to be ready to allow incoming flights," Mr Puri said on Twitter.

"Most countries have less than 10 per cent international operations because they are allowing entry only to their own citizens and have placed restrictions on foreign nationals," the minister stated.