We have lost Maharashtra’s stalwart leader, Ajit Dada. Only his memories remain. During the last Assembly session in Nagpur, I had organized a felicitation lunch for Maharashtra’s ministers and legislators. Dada had attended. He greeted everyone with great warmth; usually serious, that day his eyes sparkled like never before. His personality radiated joy. He said that his beloved son Parth was moving into the building where I live and that he would come to see the house, sit with us, have a meal, and share many conversations. I jokingly said, “Dada, we will not fight, we will celebrate!”
What can one say about the ways of destiny? The story remained unfinished. Dada became part of the rainbow of memories. Who returns once gone? Only memories remain. He followed the path of his political mentor and uncle, Sharadchand Pawar, learning the lessons of politics. The difference was that Sharadchand Pawar conducts politics with a smile, while Ajit Dada was frank and straightforward. Yes meant yes, no meant no! Like Pawar Sahab, Dada’s day started with the sunrise. The first meeting was scheduled at 7 a.m.! There were many such things that made him likable. No matter how important an event in Mumbai on a Saturday or Sunday, he would not attend, as one day was reserved for Pune and the other for Baramati.
There are many more memories with Dada, but at this moment I cannot stop thinking about why air travel is becoming so unsafe. In India, we pride ourselves on air travel safety, and we have plenty of paper statistics to support it. We have moved up in the global aviation safety rankings from 112th to 55th place. Yet, I keep asking myself, where are the lapses happening? On roads, even in a major accident, survival is possible, but in the air, even a small error can cost every passenger’s life. In India, there are numerous rules and regulations for VIP movements, yet mistakes happen. How many people have we lost in such accidents?
The list is long: Homi Bhabha, Bipin Rawat, Sanjay Gandhi, Madhavrao Scindia, Vijay Rupani, O.P. Jindal, G.M.C. Balayogi, Y.S.R. Reddy, Dorjee Khandu, and Cyprian Sangma are among the many prominent personalities. Incidentally, during the 1965 war, Gujarat’s then Chief Minister Balwant Rai Mehta’s aircraft was shot down by Pakistan, mistaken for a military plane. But that is a separate matter. Here, I am speaking about those who have passed away in aviation incidents. Many have narrowly escaped, from Vasantrao Naik to Devendra Fadnavis.
When Rahul Gandhi was on an election tour in Andhra Pradesh, I noticed that during landing, such a cloud of dust arose that the helicopter was barely visible. It was terrifying. Another incident: my younger brother Rajendra Darda and I were traveling by helicopter from Mumbai to Thane. The journey lasted only 10–15 minutes, but the fog and pollution were so dense that nothing was visible. The route has many hills and tall buildings. We prayed to God during that journey. Almost every day, we hear about birds hitting aircraft or dogs straying onto runways. Some pilots even complained that laser beams have repeatedly disturbed their flights.
Now, the details emerging about Ajit Dada’s chartered aircraft accident are shocking. Reports indicate that the aircraft had technical defects. Moreover, Baramati Airport lacks both a traffic control system and an Instrument Landing System. The local flight training school instructor was handling radio communications. The pilot had to look into the sun to locate the runway. The glare may have further confused him. Another crucial point emerging is that the pilot, Captain Sumit Kapoor, had a history of alcohol misuse. On two occasions before flights, he was found intoxicated and was suspended for three years by the DGCA.
The question arises: why was such a pilot entrusted with an aircraft? For commercial pilots, investigations ensure they have had seven hours of rest and are sober before flying. But in the case of chartered aircraft and helicopters, are these rules strictly enforced? I am thinking, if even small airports do not have proper safety measures, why are they allowed to operate? Even if an airport receives only one plane in a month or two, the safety standards must match those of major airports. All states should ensure proper safety at their airports, but a developed state like Maharashtra should set an example.
Ajit Dada is gone; no one can bring him back. But we must ensure that such aviation accidents never happen again, so no more lives are lost. Ajit Dada… we will never forget you. Farewell!
