New Delhi: Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday responded to Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury who had referred to as 'Maharaj'.
During the Question Hour, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had addressed the Union Minister as 'Maharaj' twice in the Lok Sabha while asking a question related to some airport projects in West Bengal.
"The matter is that one 'Maharaj' is a minister, another 'Maharaj' Air India, now privatisation is happening," the Congress leader said taking a dig at Jyotiraditya Scindia, news agency PTI reported.
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In his response, the Civil Aviation Minister first thanked Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for asking the question.
"And, I want to inform him that my name is Jyotiraditya Scindia. Perhaps, he has some misunderstanding, and keeps talking about my past again and again. But I want to inform him," the former Congress leader said, as quoted by PTI.
Jyotiraditya Scindia is the son of the late Madhavrao Scindia and a grandson of Jivajirao Scindia, the last ruler of the princely state of Gwalior. Therefore, epithets such as 'Shrimant' and 'Maharaj' have been associated with him often used by supporters but even as digs by political opponents.
In March 2020, Jyotiraditya Scindia quit Congress and joined BJP. As several Madhya Pradesh MLAs loyal to him also joined the saffron party, it led to Congress losing its majority in the state assembly, paving way for BJP to form a government there.
Airfare bands protecting interests of airlines, passengers: Scindia
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the civil aviation ministry introduced airfare bands with upper and lower limits as a temporary measure under the Aircraft Act, 1934, he told the House in a written response.
He also stressed that under normal circumstances, airfares are neither established nor regulated by the government.
"The fare bands serve the dual purpose of protecting the interests of the travellers as well as of the airlines, and have been revised from time to time. Fare capping is, presently, applicable on a rolling basis for a 15 days' cycle," the minister stated, as quoted by PTI.
With the repeal of Air Corporation Act in March 1994, airlines are free to fix reasonable airfares under Aircraft Rules, 1937.
In a separate written reply, Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that the estimated losses incurred by airlines in India in 2020-21 were approximately Rs 19,564 crore.