Hours after Rajya Sabha member Sonal Mansingh raised the incident of an artiste's sitar being broken after an Air India flight, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Monday said the airline investigated the matter and found that procedure to handle fragile instruments was followed at both Delhi and New York airports.
An Air India spokesperson said an enquiry was conducted when the incident came to the airline's notice and the video footage clearly showed no one had mishandled the sitar.
Eminent classical dancer Mansingh raised the issue of poor arrangements made by air carriers, including Air India, in transporting instruments of travelling artistes.
She also mentioned that sitar of a sitarist, who took an Air India flight to New York, was found broken on landing last month.
The sitar of classical musician Shubhendra Rao was broken and he had taken to social media soon after the incident in November to air his grievance.
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Soon after Sonal Mansingh raised the issue on Monday, Rao said she brought to the attention of the Rajya Sabha about the grave injustice. He hoped that something good would come out of all this and that artistes do not continue to suffer at the hands of insensitive airlines like AirIndia.
Describing as "unfortunate" the incident where the artiste's musical instrument was damaged in transit from New Delhi to New York aboard Air India flight, the ministry said a detailed report on the incident was sought to find out root cause and resolve the issue.
"Air India investigated the matter and on examination of the CCTV footage, it was observed that the SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to handle fragile musical instruments was followed by airport teams at Delhi and JFK," the ministry said in a series of tweets.
As per their records, no damage was reported to baggage counter on arrival at JFK (New York), it added.
The airline's spokesperson said video footage clearly shows that no one had mishandled the sitar.
"This was informed to the musician who apparently is not ready to believe even the video footage. Air India holds its customers in high esteem and while regretting the incident steadfastly, maintains that the sitar did not get damaged while in its custody and it is not at all responsible," the spokesperson said.
In a stinging Facebook post earlier in the day, Rao said, "My blood is boiling right now".
"Finding it difficult to express my anguish and deep sense of hurt that I am feeling after speaking to the Additional PS to the Civil Aviation Minister, Mr C M Sharma.
"He now says that after 'investigation' by Airindia and seeing the video footage at Delhi and JFK airports, they have come to the conclusion that my precious instrument was not damaged by Air India," he said.
Citing the conversation, Rao wondered whether Sharma was suggesting that "I, a respected artist of the country, would actually damage my own instrument to frame Air India??".
"How sickening can this be!!! They do not have the decency to understand the sentiments of an artist who worships his instrument and takes care of it and protects it like his own child. Sick Sick Sick!!!," Rao said.
The ministry said that every effort is made that priceless belongings, like the instrument, are well taken care of and no harm comes to them.
Mansingh said there are hardly any arrangements to ensure safety of equipments or costumes of artistes while travelling on flights.
On November 1, an eminent sitarist travelled to New York. Performance was on November 2. The sitar was broken vertically and horizontally despite packing it as per international norms. A sitar costs Rs 4 lakh, she said.
According to her, instead of an apology, Air India asked the artist to buy another ticket for safety of the instrument.
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