NEW DELHI: Top industrialist and BJP MP Naveen Jindal has slammed Indigo for damaging his daughter's wheelchair chair and made an appeal for better training by airlines on sensitivity and protocols.
His daughter and Managing Director of Jindal Saw Limited, Sminu Jindal, shared on X on October 10 that her custom-built wheelchair, made specially for her spinal cord injury, was returned "completely bent and unusable" after her IndiGo flight from Goa to Delhi. She appealed to the aviation ministry for urgent intervention in the issue.
Reposting his daughter’s post, Naveen Jindal termed the incident “deeply concerning”. The MP wrote on X, “A wheelchair is not just mobility; it represents dignity and independence. Airlines must handle assistive devices with utmost care and respect. It’s time for stronger protocols and better sensitivity training.”
Giving a detailed account of the incident, Sminu Jindal said the incident happened after her return from Goa, after celebrating the Purple Fest Goa — a festival that honours the freedom, independence and dignity of persons with disabilities.
"On my @IndiGo6E flight 6E 6264 (Goa–Delhi), my custom wheelchair — built specifically for my spinal cord injury — was returned to me completely bent & unusable."
This is not an isolated case, she continued. "It is a repeated trauma that thousands of persons with disabilities face when they fly. A wheelchair is not just equipment — it is our mobility, our independence, our dignity. Once its frame is bent, it can never be repaired," she said.
She also called upon airlines to create a a dedicated protected section for wheelchairs if they need to be transported in the belly of the aircraft. Staff need to be properly trained and sensitised.
Sminu Jindal added, "I strongly urge Hon’ble Civil Aviation Minister Shri @RamMNK Ji & @MoCA_GoI to intervene, and call upon @IndiGo6E to take urgent corrective action. This issue has been pending for far too long. Safety of assistive devices is mandatory. Somebody’s life & life’s earnings depend on it."
In its response to her tweet, the airline said, "Our airport team had also endeavoured to offer immediate assistance by providing an alternate wheelchair and ensuring every possible comfort. We tried reaching you as well, however, we have been unable to establish contact. "