An Indian MP has admitted hitting a flight attendant 25 times with his slipper during a row after he was given a seat in economy class.
Ravindra Gaikwad, 56, who represents the Hindu nationalist Shiv Sena party, claimed the Air India employee insulted him on a flight from Pune to New Delhi.
An unrepentant Mr Gaikwad, who refused to get off the plane for an hour after it landed, told the ANI news agency: ‘I hit him 25 times with a slipper.’
Gaikwad, who sits in India’s lower house of parliament, the Lok Sabha, said he had a business class ticket but was put in an economy seat.
After first complaining to an air hostess Gaikwad got into a heated argument with the senior flight attendant.
Gaikwad said: ‘He said “I will complain to (Indian Prime Minister Narendra) Modi”, so I hit him. Should I have to listen to this abuse?’
Politicians from other political parties condemned Gaikwad’s actions while a spokesman for Air India said they were investigating the incident.
Gaikwad was elected in 2014 to represent Osmanabad in Maharashtra state in western India.
Last year an Indian MP was arrested for alleging slapping an airline official at an airport in Andhra Pradesh after he and his family were prevented from boarding their flight because the gate had closed.
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