Indian MP boasts of beating air steward

An Indian MP beat an airline employee repeatedly with a slipper after being unable to get a business class seat on an Air India flight, BBC has reported.

Ravindra Gaikwad later told Indian reporters he had “hit him 25 times with my sandal” for “arrogance”.

The MP had been told he could not fly business class because it was an all-economy flight, reports say.

Air India filed a police complaint and said it was considering a “no-fly” list for unruly passengers.

The MP told media: “I am not a BJP MP. I am a Shiv Sena MP and will not tolerate any insult. Let the employee complain. I will complain to the Speaker and other authorities.”

The airline staff member told Asian News International that the MP had broken his glasses in the attack.

“When I told him what he was asking wasn’t possible, he became abusive and started using foul language,” he said.

“God save our country if this is the culture and behaviour of our MPs.”

The story was the top trending topic on twitter in India on Thursday.

Ashok Ganapathi Raju, the civil aviation minister, told reporters at parliament, “No citizen will behave like this.

Physical assault won’t be encouraged and will always be condemned.”

Last year an Indian MP was arrested for alleging slapping an airline official at an airport in Andhra Pradesh after being told he could not board a flight with his family after the gate had closed.