Celebrated Indian classical musician Shubhendra Rao on Friday night took to social media and accused Air India of breaking his sitar.
Rao accused the airline of mishandling his sitar and said the staff should be sensitised on how to handle the music instruments.
In a lengthy Facebook post he said, "There it happens again! My Sitar has been vandalised once again, this time by our own #AirIndia!! Just arrived in New York to perform at the #VedicHeritageInc and this is how my Sitar has arrived. How can anyone be so ruthless and insensitive?
"For sure, this has been slit open because there is no way the sitar would break in this fashion. I know many people will come out in support and suggest many things but the simple truth is that airlines and their staff need to be sensitised towards how to handle music instruments."
"I had started a petition on www.change.org about two years ago, fighting for the right of artists like me who continue to suffer at the hands of these stupid airlines. Even got a lot of support but eventually, nothing happened since the powers-to-be continue to remain insensitive towards arts and artists."
Tagging Minister for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri, Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Karola, CMD of Air India Ashwani Lohani, Rao further wrote on Facebook, "Please note that #injustice has happened on our own national carrier and someone needs to take responsibility for this callousness and something drastic needs to be done so that we artists do not continue to suffer, be it at the hands of #AirIndia or any other airlines."
"I also know that this part of the instrument is the most well-protected part of the instrument with even a 3-4 inch thick foam inside the fibre-glass box that is covered by a thick padded cover."
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