Mallikarjun Kharge claims not allowed into reserved airport lounge, questions if toilet can be reserved for PM Modi
The Hindu
Congress leader accuses PM Modi and Amit Shah of politically motivated helicopter delays, highlighting inequality in airport treatment.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday (November 16, 2024) attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing them of delaying the helicopters of his and Rahul Gandhi in Jharkhand, and alleged that despite holding Cabinet Minister rank, the Opposition leaders were not given access to reserved airport lounge.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's helicopter, which was supposed to take him from Mahagama in Jharkhand's Godda district after he addressed an election rally there, was grounded for about two hours on Friday (November 16, 2024), prompting allegations from the Congress that the delay was politically motivated.
Prime Minister Modi was stranded at Deoghar airport for nearly two hours on Friday (November 15) and a 'no-fly zone' was declared in the region's airspace as the PM waited for the issue to be resolved, officials said.
"Yesterday, our leader Rahul Gandhi's helicopter was deliberately delayed by two hours as the PM was sitting in his plane. Today, my chopper was delayed by 20 minutes as Union Home Minister Amit Shah was landing. His path was separate and mine was separate.
"Rahul Gandhi ji, who is the leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, holds a cabinet minister's rank, and so do I. But in the airport's reserved lounge, they (officials) say it is for Prime Minister Modi, I want to ask can even a toilet be reserved for the PM," Mr. Kharge alleged, without mentioning the name of the airport.
Attacking the BJP over the infiltration issue raked by the party, he alleged that Mr. Modi and Mr. Shah are frightening people despite having the power to check it.
"Are PM Modi and Amit Shah sleeping? Why can't they check infiltration despite being in power? When they can stop a helicopter, why can't they stop infiltrators?" he questioned.
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