Minister Jabs Jairam Ramesh For Taunting PM Over ‘Swinging’ Airport Ceiling

New Delhi:

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia this morning hit out at senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, and accused him of “seeking sensationalism” with his taunt on “state of affairs in New India”. Mr Scindia was responding to the Congress leader’s tweet where he mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a portion of the false ceiling falling at the Andaman airport.

“The Prime Minister will inaugurate anything these days – even if it’s unfinished or substandard infrastructure (highways, airports, bridges, trains, etc)

More than willing ministers anxious to boost their Sensex with him oblige.

It’s the taxpayers and citizens who pay the cost.

Such a sorry state of affairs in ‘New India’!” Jairam Ramesh tweeted, re-sharing visuals of parts of the ceiling at Veer Savarkar International Airport hanging loose.

The Prime Minister will inaugurate anything these days — even if it’s unfinished or substandard infrastructure (highways, airports, bridges, trains, etc)

More than willing ministers anxious to boost their Sensex with him oblige.

It’s the taxpayers and citizens who pay the cost.… https://t.co/TGUg128dsz

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 23, 2023

The structure is outside the terminal building, Mr Scindia said, and claimed a part of the false ceiling had been deliberately loosened for CCTV work. 

“Heavy winds (about 100 km/hr) later, led to the swinging panels as seen in the video. The false ceiling had been restored after completing the work. 

Next time, instead of jumping the gun and seeking sensationalism out of nothing, just seek an explanation,” the minister tweeted.

The structure is outside the terminal building. Besides, a part of the false ceiling had been deliberately loosened for CCTV work. Heavy winds (about 100 km/hr) later, led to the swinging panels as seen in the video. The false ceiling had been restored after completing the work.… https://t.co/DuLYjUIk0V

— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) July 24, 2023

The false ceiling in front of the ticketing counter, outside the terminal building, had been loosened for the adjustment of CCTV works and final alignment, officials said on Sunday, according to news agency PTI.

The airport’s new integrated terminal, which is yet to be made functional, was virtually inaugurated by PM Modi a few days back.

“It is a minor incident. The installation of CCTV cameras was going on. The wiring for such cameras needs to be done behind the panels and there might be some fixing issues. We have addressed the issue, and the matter has been resolved,” an airport official told PTI.

PM Modi had on July 18 virtually inaugurated the new integrated terminal building of the Veer Savarkar Airport in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.