Modi govt grants ‘International’ status to sensitive defence airport for Anant Ambani’s wedding
New Delhi: In a move raising eyebrows, the Narendra Modi government has granted temporary international status to the strategically sensitive defence airport in Gujarat's Jamnagar for just 10 days. This unusual decision is ostensibly to accommodate the arrival of guests attending the wedding of Mukesh Ambani's son, Anant Ambani, to Radhika Merchant.
The international status for the Indian Air Force airport, located near the Pakistan border, is applicable from February 25 to March 5.
Jamnagar airport, situated in close proximity to the Pakistan border, has received international status for the specific purpose of accommodating the influx of guests arriving for the grand wedding celebration. This decision allows the airport to handle international flights during the specified period, enabling direct arrivals for the high-profile event.
Mukesh Ambani, a prominent billionaire and close associate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is hosting numerous guests from around the world for his son Anant Ambani's wedding to Radhika Merchant. The extravagant celebration is expected to draw attendees from various global locations.
According to airport officials, between February 28 and March 4, the Jamnagar airport anticipates receiving a considerable number of aircraft, with approximately 150 expected during this period. Out of these, around 50 flights are slated to arrive directly from foreign destinations. This surge in air traffic is a significant deviation from the airport's usual operations, as it typically handles only a few scheduled and non-scheduled flights on a daily basis.
To manage the substantial increase in air traffic, the Union government's Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Home Affairs have collaborated to establish a Custom, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) facility at the airport. The special arrangements include expanding the size of the passenger building from 475 sq m to 900 sq m, allowing for increased capacity during peak hours. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has expedited the expansion work in preparation for the influx of guests.
Furthermore, the defence airport has been authorized to permit private aircraft access to its sensitive "technical" area for the wedding event. This is a departure from the usual security protocols and highlights the exceptional nature of the arrangements made for this occasion.
To accommodate the surge in visitors, various measures have been implemented, such as the addition of housekeeping staff, increased security deployment, and an expanded workforce for ground handling agencies. The additional staff and resources are aimed at ensuring the smooth operation and management of the airport during this extraordinary period.
It is noteworthy that the Ambani family's company, Reliance Industries, has been granted permission to make special arrangements near the defence airport to receive the dignitaries attending the pre-wedding festivities.
This decision to grant international status to the Jamnagar airport for a limited duration showcases the exceptional preparations made by the government to facilitate the high-profile wedding event. The move has sparked discussions about whether it aligns with Prime Minister Modi's appeal in November 2023 for affluent Indians to 'wed in India.' However, it remains unclear if the special arrangements at the Jamnagar airport are part of a broader policy shift or a one-time gesture extended to the Ambani family.
It is essential to note that this is not the first instance of a government facilitating special arrangements for a high-profile wedding event. In May 2023, South Africa witnessed a similar situation when the government allowed a special charter flight carrying guests from India at the defence airport for the wedding of the son of an Indian-origin billionaire business tycoon close to former President Jacob Zuma. The incident sparked controversy and led to investigations into whether diplomatic privileges had been abused.
With South African and international Press highlighting the ‘political scandal’, the then ruling ANC government issued a statement saying, “The African National Congress, driven by the concern for the safety and sovereignty of South Africa, shall never allow a situation where our ports of entry and National Key Points are penetrated with impunity.”
South African minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane told reporters that an investigation had been ordered and it would also “unearth whether diplomatic privilege had been abused (by the Indian embassy)”.
South African foreign ministry’s chief of protocol Bruce Koloane was also suspended immediately for allowing the Waterklof Air Force Base airport near Pretoria to be used by the Guptas pending the investigation.
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FIR against 15 seniors after death of MBBS student due to ragging in Gujarat
Patan (Gujarat) (PTI): Police have registered an FIR against 15 students of a medical college in Gujarat's Patan district following the death of an 18-year-old student who was allegedly ragged by them, officials said on Monday.
The accused, all second-year MBBS students, allegedly made some juniors, including the victim, stand in a hostel room for more than three hours on Saturday night and subjected them to "mental and physical torture," as per the First Information Report (FIR).
They have booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other offences, the FIR said.
The accused students have been suspended from their hostel and academic activities until further orders, said officials from the GMERS Medical College and Hospital at Dharpur in Patan.
The victim, Anil Methaniya, a first-year MBBS student, fell unconscious and died allegedly after being made to stand for three hours during ragging by his seniors at a hostel of the college on Saturday night, the college dean, Dr Hardik Shah, said on Sunday.
The college's anti-ragging committee chaired by Dr Shah took the statements of 26 students -- 11 of the first-year and 15 second-year students.
The committee found that 11 first-year students were subjected to ragging by a group of 15 second-year students, a college official said on Monday.
As per the FIR lodged at Balisana police station shortly after midnight on Monday, the 15 accused called 11 first-year students, including Methaniya and his classmates, to a hostel room on Saturday night for "introduction".
They made the juniors stand for nearly three-and-a half hours while forcing them to sing and dance, utter abusive words and not leave the room.
Methaniya's health deteriorated as the students were subjected to mental and physical torture. The victim fainted and fell down at around midnight. He was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, the FIR stated.
Based on a complaint by the college's additional dean Dr Anil Bhathija, the FIR was lodged against 15 students under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, wrongful confinement, unlawful assembly, and using obscene words.
