Pilots of Rahul's helicopter suspended, may lose their jobs

New Delhi: Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's insistence on keeping date with his party workers may cost the two pilots of his helicopter their jobs.

While the government-owned Pawan Hans company, India's largest civilian helicopter service, has placed the two pilots under suspension, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has grounded and derostered them for allegedly landing their chopper under poor visibility conditions at Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh on Monday evening.

The DGCA yesterday said the two pilots and the District Magistrate of Sitapur, Sanjay Kumar, have been asked to record their statements within the next couple of days, which is part of the investigation the DGCA has ordered.

Rahul Gandhi allegedly forced the pilots to land the chopper after sunset under poor visibility conditions. The issue came to light when the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Rita Bahuguna Joshi spilled the beans by commending Rahul for making the pilot land in zero visibility in order to meet the party workers at a scheduled meeting.

‘No expert'

Both Rahul and the Congress party denied the allegation and chided Bahuguna Joshi saying she was no expert on aviation and weather. The report filed by the Sitapur District Magistrate suggested that the helicopter landed at 5.30 pm, 17 minutes after the sunset when it was almost dark.

"I am a pilot and I am absolutely aware of the dangers of flying in low visibility conditions. I will be the last person to do it," Rahul had told media in the state capital Lucknow on Tuesday.

He also asked the media to exercise restraint and write only after verifying facts, saying the baseless stories could cost the pilot their jobs.

Rahul's clarification and bid to save the two pilots of his helicopter, however, failed to impress Pawan Hans and the DGCA, since it was seen as a serious breach, which could have cost Rahul his life.

Accused

Politicians are often accused of coercing pilots of their helicopters and small aircraft to land and fly in poor visibility in order to keep up their appointments. Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy paid with his life in September when he forced the pilot of his helicopter to take off under heavy rains, leading to the chopper crashing against a hilltop.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party chief Rajnath Singh was accused in October of forcing the pilot of his aircraft to take off from Dumka airport of Jharkhand in the night with jeep lights illuminating the runway in the absence of night landing facilities at Dumka.

The joint report of the Sitapur District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar and Superintendent of Police Amitabh Yash, which has since been forwarded to the federal government by the state authorities, stated that the visibility was so low that the pilot failed to land the chopper at the H zone of the helipad and landed some distance away.

Federal Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was the latest to jump to Rahul's defence yesterday, asserting the allegations of violation of landing rules were baseless.