The Indian Air Force has backed the pilot for refusing to fly Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday over inclement weather. Rahul was forced to change his travel plans as IAF did not oblige his request for flying him from in Kokrajhar to Guwahati citing bad weather.

IAF officials said the pilot was right to use his judgment and refuse to flym Rahul. The Congress general secretary was on a day's trip to the state to meet victims of ethnic violence in relief camps and held discussions with Bodoland Territorial Council leaders on the prevailing situation in Assam.

While travelling back to Guwahati with chief minister Tarun Gogoi, he was denied permission by the IAF officials to take off due to the bad weather, sources said in Kokrajhar.