MPs have demanded and got many privileges at airports. Public and private airlines have to entertain them and meet their demands. MPs forget they are representatives. They think they are rulers. Many TV channels had campaigned against VIP culture including privileges for MPs at airports. For some months there was silence. Now Civil Aviation Ministry has come back and granted the privileges MPs demanded. Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapti Raju referred to those privileges as courtesies. These are not courtesies but extortions.
One privilege is free coffee, tea, cold drinks and other refreshments to MPs at airports. All airlines have to abide by that. It is disgusting that MPs do not want to pay for coffee, tea, cold drinks and other refreshments. Sometimes MPs are accompanied by their friends, acquaintances, assistants or family members. They will also have to be given free refreshments. When MPs travel with their parents, grandparents, siblings, children, grandchildren, cousins, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, spouses, parents-in-law, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, nephews-in-law, nieces-in-law, cousins-in-law, uncles-in-law, aunts-in-law and others they will also get free refreshments. This is outrageous. Soon MPs will demand free biriyani, chicken, mutton and so on.
Most MPs who demanded these privileges are first time MPs from BJP. They have support from MPs of other parties.
Some MPs have said they do not use such privileges. Two are from BJD: Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo and Baijayant Panda. Kalikesh said it is not only MPs but bureaucrats, judges, journalists, police officers and frequent fliers who get such privileges. Airlines grant privileges to their regular customers.
What airlines grant willingly is a different matter. MPs got the privileges because they extorted it from the Civil Aviation Ministry. If bureaucrats and others have put pressure on the ministry and extorted the privileges it is wrong. Civil Aviation Ministry should withdraw privileges granted to MPs and other public servants.
It is foolish to expect Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to speak against such privileges because they enjoy many privileges which MPs do not have. They have SPG security which is extended repeatedly and crores of rupees are spent on them while people of Delhi are short of security. They don’t have to stand in queue and be frisked at airports. When they travel on road, traffic is blocked.
Ashok Gajapti Raju said previously his lighters and match boxes were confiscated at airports. After he became Civil Aviation Minister he is exempt from security checks and carries his lighters and match boxes without confiscation. This is security breach.
Many MPs do not accept the accommodation provided by government and live in five star hotels and their expenses are a burden on the citizens of the country. There were reports of some MPs taking government accommodation and continuing to live in five star hotels.
MPs do not pay toll. They wanted red beacons on their cars. That demand was not granted.
MPs regard themselves as the present day kings.