Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 4 : Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Thursday questioned why the helicopter carrying Rahul Gandhi could not operate due to adverse weather conditions when other helicopters were reportedly flying on the same route.
Seeking answers from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) and the helicopter operator, Rawat said the cancellation of Rahul Gandhi's scheduled visit to Almora had raised questions among Congress workers and supporters who had gathered in large numbers for the event.
In a post on X, Rawat wrote, "When other helicopters were flying, why couldn't Rahul Ji's helicopter take off? Who will answer--#DGCA, #UCADA, or the heli company? Today, Rahul Gandhi Ji was supposed to arrive in Almora. Not just the whole of Almora, but the entire Kumaon division, in thousands, was waiting in a massive gathering to hear Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji. He was also supposed to reach Pauri, where our ex-servicemen had gathered since morning, and Congress workers had also arrived. There was a workers' meeting in Dehradun yesterday, and preparations for that were full of enthusiasm too."
https://x.com/harishrawatcmuk/status/2062504090991730723?s=48
Rawat said the announcement regarding the cancellation of Rahul Gandhi's visit due to bad weather had triggered several questions among party workers and the public.
"But suddenly, the news came that Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji's helicopter wouldn't be able to land due to bad weather. Shri Rahul Ji had to return to Pantnagar, and from there, he addressed all the Congress members and brothers and sisters gathered in Almora via telephone. But after this, a lot of questions have arisen. These questions have come up even more because the helicopters operated by government services, monitored by UCADA and DGCA agencies, continued to operate as usual. Helicopters have reached from Almora to Haldwani, and the air route is the same one that Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji's helicopter was supposed to take from Pantnagar to Almora," the post read.
The senior Congress leader said that while safety must remain the top priority, authorities should clarify the circumstances that prevented Rahul Gandhi's helicopter from taking off.
"If single-engine helicopters have come on this air route, then how could our double-engine helicopter not make it? Somewhere, either the heli company, or DGCA, or UCADA needs to answer. Why couldn't the leader of the opposition in the country reach Almora? Why couldn't his helicopter take off? While other helicopters were able to take off and operate on the same air route. This is a big question. Pilots and heli services are operated by these very institutions. This serious question is arising in the minds of ordinary people. I am giving voice to exactly that because in the minds of the thousands of men and women who had gathered here to hear and see that person, this question is naturally arising: could it be that apart from the weather, there are some other factors at play?" the post further read.
Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, stated that he was unable to attend his scheduled public rally in Almora due to adverse weather conditions that prevented his helicopter from taking off from Pantnagar.
In a message posted on X, Gandhi said he had reached Pantnagar and was scheduled to travel to Almora by helicopter for a public meeting. However, according to him, the pilot declined to take off because of unfavourable weather conditions. Gandhi later addressed the gathering in Almora virtually over the phone.