Be it the IndiGo crisis or the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, the position of Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has remained under scrutiny, drawing public debate and criticism from the Opposition.
Now, a fresh challenge to his ministerial post has emerged following a new complaint and the demand for an independent probe.
Here is the story.
The death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash last month has led to a series of political and administrative demands.
The accident occurred early in the morning while he was travelling to Baramati. Leaders from his faction of the NCP have alleged that there could be a conspiracy behind the crash and have called for a CBI inquiry.
Sunetra Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s wife and the current Deputy Chief Minister, met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and submitted a memorandum seeking a central investigation. Senior party leaders were present with her.
Ajit Pawar’s nephew and MLA Rohit Pawar has demanded a detailed probe into both the possible conspiracy angle and aviation safety lapses.
He also urged the Centre to temporarily remove Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu and senior DGCA officials until the investigation is completed.
This step would have been felt necessary only to ensure that the probe proceeds without any influence or conflict of interest.
He has further sought the registration of an FIR against the private aviation company that provided the aircraft.
The demand has triggered political debate because Ajit Pawar’s party is part of the NDA alliance at the Centre, making the Centre’s response to these requests politically significant.