'Rahul Gandhi cancelled flight': Varanasi airport denies Congress leader's 'no permission' claims
The former Congress chief was scheduled to visit Prayagraj for a function at the Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital on Tuesday. On Monday, President Murmu visited Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple after offering prayers at the Kotwal Baba Kaal Bhairav temple in Varanasi.
FollowWhile the Congress has claimed that party leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi's plane was denied permission to land at Varanasi's Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport late Monday night, Varanasi airport has denied the accusation and said that the Wayanad MP himself cancelled his trip to Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi.
In a tweet, the Varanasi airport said, "The flight was cancelled by M/s AR Airways by sending an email to AAI Varanasi Airport at 2116 hrs on 13 th Feb 2013. Please correct your statement as the flight was cancelled by the operator."
On Tuesday, Senior Congress leader Ajay Rai alleged that Gandhi's plane was scheduled to land at the airport on his return from Wayanad, Kerala. He claimed authorities did not grant permission as they were under pressure, and that they used President Droupadi Murmu's visit as an 'excuse'.
The Congress leader also said he and other party leaders were at the airport to receive their leader, but his plane was not allowed to land "at the last minute."
The Congress leader also said that the BJP government is 'scared' of Rahul Gandhi and hence they did not allow the plane to land at the airport in Varanasi.
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"The Prime Minister of the country has been anxious since Rahul Gandhi led the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Now, they are troubling Rahul," he added.
The former Congress chief was scheduled to visit Prayagraj for a function at the Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital on Tuesday.
On Monday, President Murmu visited Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple after offering prayers at the Kotwal Baba Kaal Bhairav temple in Varanasi.
