Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera deboarded at Delhi airport, party stages protest on tarmac

"Congress leader Pawan Khera was stopped from boarding a flight at Delhi airport following a request from the Assam Police," Delhi Police said on Thursday.

The Congress leaders protested after Khera was stopped by Delhi Police from boarding the plane at the airport.

Modi govt is acting like a bunch of goons by deplaning @Pawankhera ji from the Delhi-Raipur flight and preventing him from joining the AICC Plenary.

Using a flimsy FIR to restrict his movement & silence him is a shameful, unacceptable act. The entire party stands with Pawan ji. pic.twitter.com/mKVeuRGnfR

— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) February 23, 2023

"I don't know. I was told that your baggage has to be checked. I said I do not have any luggage except a handbag. When I came down, I was told that I cannot go, a DCP would come. We are waiting for the DCP for the last 20 minutes. I don't know why am I being stopped," he said.

"We were going from Delhi to Raipur by Indigo flight 6E-204. Pawan Khera, KC Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala was also with us. We were heading to Raipur for the Congress Plenary Session. Pawar Khera was taken away stating that his bag has been exchanged but he was not carrying check-in baggage. He was then told that he had been deplaned and a DSP of CISF would come and serve him notice. If this is not a dictatorship, then what is it? Would you stop people from boarding the flight? The dictator got ED raids done before the session and now the government has come down to this kind of act," she said in a video tweeted by the Congress party.

"What wrong has he done that this action is being taken? The action is being taken under which sections, they will have to tell. We will keep standing here until the flight departs along with all of us including Pawan Khera," she said.

"Today we were going for the Congress Plenary Sessoin to Raipur, and our colleague Pawan Khera was told that he left his luggage but he was not carrying any luggage. Then the Police came and said Assam Police has registered an FIR," Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

Meanwhile, the CISF has been sent to deal with the issue, according to reports. Meanwhile, Indigo Airlines issued a statement stating that a passenger had to be deplaned and that the flight had been delayed. But, other flight movements at Delhi airport are unaffected.