Tejasvi Surya opened 'IndiGo flight's emergency exit' before takeoff, says Congress; slams 'BJP's VIP brats'

Bengaluru: Opposition Congress on Tuesday targeted Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, amid reports that the passenger, who accidentally opened the emergency exit of an IndiGo plane after boarding at Chennai airport last month was the BJP Yuva Morcha chief. It has also questioned as to why the government hid the incident so long. Neither Surya nor his office have reacted to the allegations so far.

"Tejasvi Surya is an example of what will happen if children playing games are given the proprietorship. An act of children's mischief by trying to open the emergency exit door of the plane has come to light. Why prank with the lives of passengers?" Karnataka Congress said.

It asked as to why the government hid Surya's attempt to open the emergency exit door, by violating the flight safety rules.

"What was the MP's intention? What plans were there to create a disaster? Why was he transferred to the back seat after apologising?," the Congress asked, while questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi as to who would have been responsible for the disaster if this "prank" had been carried out after take-off.

"Why is this not being investigated?" it further asked.

The aircraft, which was on the ground, was subject to mandatory engineering checks before it flew to Tiruchirapalli that day.

A senior official at aviation regulator DGCA on Tuesday said the event was duly reported and that no safety was compromised.

Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar said, "For a safe take-off and landing, always fly with Congress."

AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "The BJP VIP Brats ! How dare the airline complain? Is it the norm for the BJP power elite? Did it compromise passenger safety? Ohhh! U can't ask questions about BJP's entitled VIP's !"

Questioning whether the MP used his good offices to suppress this news, Congress MLA and KPCC's Communications in-charge Priyank Kharge said, "Why is Indigo so hesitant to name the passenger? Why didn't they report to DGCA? Why is No Comments from the MP? BJP's Tejasvi Surya allegedly opened emergency exit of IndiGo flight, flight delayed by 2 hours."