Varanasi airport denies charge after Congress claims Rahul Gandhi’s plane wasn't allowed to land

A day after Congress claimed that Rahul Gandhi's plane was denied permission to land at Varanasi's Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport on Monday, Varanasi airport authorities said that the leader’s charter jet company cancelled the flight themselves.  

On Tuesday, Congress leader Ajay Rai said Rahul Gandhi's chartered plane was 'deliberately' denied permission to land at Varanasi airport. Gandhi, who was returning from Wayanad in Kerala, was scheduled to land at the Babat airport. But his plane was not allowed to land. On Tuesday, Gandhi was scheduled to visit Prayagraj for a function at the Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital.

The Congress said that the BJP government is 'scared' of Gandhi and the airport authorities did not grant permission over an 'excuse' that it was used for President Droupadi Murmu's visit to Kashi Vishwanath temple.

On Tuesday, the airport officials dismissed claims made by the party. Varanasi airport said, "The charter jet company carrying Rahul Gandhi cancelled the flight themselves."
The airport stated, "The flight was cancelled by M/s AR Airways by sending email to AAI Varanasi Airport at 2116 hrs on 13th Feb 2013. Please correct your statement as the flight was cancelled by the operator."

Varanasi airport director Aryama Sanyal told PTI that there was no prior information about Gandhi’s arrival.

Sanyal said they didn’t deny permission for Gandhi’s plane to land. “During late evening hours of February 13, airport authorities got the message from the company operating Rahul Gandhi's flight that the flight has been cancelled by the party,” Sanyal said.