New Delhi, Mar 22 (PTI) Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) MP Hanuman Beniwal on Tuesday asked the government to investigate the allegation of charging exorbitant fares by private airlines from Indian students returning from war-ravaged Ukraine

Participating in the discussion on Demands for Grants for the Civil Aviation Ministry in the Lok Sabha, he alleged that private airlines charged double fares from students returning from Ukraine after the outbreak of the war.

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The government should investigate the matter and fix responsibility, he said, regretting that the private companies "exploited" the situation to make quick money from students.

"When the Russia -Ukraine conflict started, Air India charged double fares from students returning from Ukraine...the government should investigate the matter and the responsibility of Air India must be fixed," he said.

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Beniwal also wanted to know what impact privatisation of airports and Air India will have on reservation of jobs for Schedule Castes (SCs) and Schedule Tribes (STs) and OBC's.

Echoing similar views, Manickam Tagore (INC) said he opposes the sell of airports and Air India as it will "directly mean that there will be no reservation for jobs for SCs, STs and OBCs".

"In the name of airports modernisation, airports are being gifted to our prime minister's friend Adani," he alleged.

Tagore alleged that six airports have been given to the Adani group and questionable procedures were followed in airport privatisation.

Russia started its military offensive against Ukraine on February 24. Western nations, including the US, have imposed major economic and other sanctions on Russia following the offensive.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)