Pilot refuses takeoff, Eknath Shinde waits. Then, a life-saving twist
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was made to wait over an hour at Jalgaon Airport after arriving well past his scheduled time. He reached the airport at 9:15 pm, but the pilot refused to take off, citing the delay, adding that it was beyond his duty hours, according to sources.Following a 45-minute-long closed-door discussion with ministers Girish Mahajan, Gulabrao Patil, and district administration officials trying to convince the pilot, the flight eventually took off.advertisementEarlier in the day, Shinde's flight was scheduled to land at 3:45 pm. But due to technical reasons, the flight landed at 6:15 pm.
After a delay of two and a half hours, Shinde ended up travelling on road from Jalgaon to Muktainagar to attend the Sant Muktai Palkhi Yatra. After taking part in the Palkhi Yatra and offering prayers at the Sant Muktai temple, he returned to Jalgaon Airport at 9:15 pm.FATEFUL DELAYHowever, in a fated turn of events, Shinde's delayed arrival at Jalgaon airport turned out to be a boon for a woman who urgently needed to reach Mumbai for emergency kidney treatment.The woman, Sheetal Patil, had missed her scheduled flight and was left stranded at the Jalgaon airport. Upon learning about her condition, Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan -- who was also present with Shinde -- arranged for both her and her husband to travel to Mumbai on Shinde's flight.advertisementRecalling the incident, Mahajan told India Today TV, "Eknath Shinde has not forgotten his days of struggle. He has shown great sensitivity toward the common man."
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