Congress leader Pawan Khera was reportedly stopped from flying from Delhi to Chhattisgarh capital Raipur this morning, after which party leaders protested at the airport. According to reports, IndiGo Airlines claimed to have received instructions not to fly Khera to Raipur. This move led to a protest by Congress party leaders on the tarmac, who alleged an attempt to detain Khera at the Delhi airport.
The incident was further fuelled by the BJP, who demanded Khera’s arrest for allegedly insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At a recent press conference, Khera had mistakenly flubbed PM Modi’s name. “If Narasimha Rao could form a JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee), if Atal Bihari Vajpayee could form a JPC, then what problem does Narendra Gautam Das – sorry, Damodardas – Modi have?” he had said.
The situation at the airport escalated quickly, with both parties holding opposing views. The Congress party continued to demand Khera’s safe passage to Raipur, citing his fundamental right to free movement. Meanwhile, the BJP insisted that Khera’s remarks were an insult to the Prime Minister and demanded his arrest.