Chennai: It’s an unhappy marriage that often erupts in skirmishes, usually in front of waiting passengers. Tussles between Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and airport staff (both AAI and private) are not uncommon, as incidents are reported at least 4-5 times a year. In the wake of the rather violent altercation that took place at the Kozhikode Airport on Wednesday, the rocky relationship the twain share in major airports like Chennai has come into focus.
In January this year, when CISF personnel refused to allow the wife of a CPI MP through the VIP gate, he wasn’t too upset. But that wasn’t the case with the airport trade unionists who came to see him off. They argued and nearly came to blows till the MP intervened and calmed them down.
“There is a lot of history between both the parties. It’s not just about that issue alone. There was bitterness when CISF had strictly disallowed several regular employees, who did not renew their passes, from entering the airport on January 1,” said an airport officer.
The misgivings simply stay out of sight till an opportunity to retaliate presents itself. Things really soured in 2013 when warders and CISF staff kept clashing over whose responsibility it was to allow passengers inside, leading to complaints from both sides, before an arbitration was held to set the matter to rest.
12/06/15 New Indian Express
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In January this year, when CISF personnel refused to allow the wife of a CPI MP through the VIP gate, he wasn’t too upset. But that wasn’t the case with the airport trade unionists who came to see him off. They argued and nearly came to blows till the MP intervened and calmed them down.
“There is a lot of history between both the parties. It’s not just about that issue alone. There was bitterness when CISF had strictly disallowed several regular employees, who did not renew their passes, from entering the airport on January 1,” said an airport officer.
The misgivings simply stay out of sight till an opportunity to retaliate presents itself. Things really soured in 2013 when warders and CISF staff kept clashing over whose responsibility it was to allow passengers inside, leading to complaints from both sides, before an arbitration was held to set the matter to rest.
12/06/15 New Indian Express
