"Yes, I had hit the staffer 25 times with a slipper. Do you expect me to hear their abuses quietly?"
-- Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad

The resaon? Gaikwad says he was denied a business class seat and was abused and had to retaliate by hitting the Air India employee with a slipper.

The incident occurred this morning immediately after the Pune-New Delhi flight landed.

Gaikwad said, "I had paid for a business class ticket. This is not the first time it has happened.

I have complained several times but no action has been taken. So this time I lost my cool, he said.

The MP said he had paid for a business class ticket but had been allotted a economy class seat. When he approached the AI staffer, the person said that the business class was full. The two argued some more after which Gaikwad slapped him with a slipper.

Air India has ordered an enquiry, while Gaikwad says he will complain to the Lok Sabha speaker.