Was Rahul Gandhi's plane denied permission to land at Varanasi? Here's what airport official has to say

Varanasi, Feb 14: The Congress has claimed that Rahul Gandhi's plane was denied permission to land at Varanasi's Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport on Monday night, a charge denied by the airport authorities.

Senior Congress leader Ajay Rai on Tuesday alleged that Gandhi's plane was scheduled to land at the Babat airport here on his return from Wayanad in Kerala.

Rai said he and other party leaders were at the airport to receive their leader but his plane was not allowed to land 'at the last minute'. Gandhi then returned to the national capital. "Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to arrive here and then go to Prayagraj, but the airport authority did not allow his plane to land due to pressure from the government. They said there is a heavy aircraft movement and traffic congestion and did not give permission," Rai alleged.

The Congress leader also said that the BJP government is 'scared' of Rahul Gandhi and hence they did not allow the plane to land at the airport in Varanasi. "Prime minister of the country has been anxious since Rahul Gandhi led the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Now, they are troubling Rahul," he added.

However, Varanasi airport director Aryama Sanyal told news agency PTI that there was no prior information about Gandhi's arrival.

The director denied allegation that they had refused permission for Gandhi's plane to land.

The air traffic controller was told that the plan to land at the airport has been cancelled, Sanyal said.

The former Congress chief was scheduled to visit Prayagraj for a function at the Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital on Tuesday, Rai said.