What Kunal Kamra, Others Said About TV Journos on Kangana Flight

Several Twitter users asked why no action was taken against the journalists for violating COVID-19 guidelines.

Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ Kunal Kamra)

Following The Quint’s video (now viral) essaying how television journalists chasing Kangana Ranaut on her flight from Chandigarh to Mumbai had thrown the most basic of coronavirus health guidelines to the winds, several users on Twitter wondered if the restive journalists would be subjected to the same restrictions as was done to stand-up comic Kunal Kamra.

Among those calling out the violation of rules by mediapersons was Congress Spokesperson Pawan Khera, who tagged Union Aviation Minister Hardeep S Puri asking if the latter remembered the action taken against Kamra.

In January this year, Kunal Kamra was placed under a six-month ban by IndiGo, after he was seen heckling a popular prime time television journalist on a flight operated by the carrier.

Although IndiGo later reduced the ban to three months, Air India, GoAir and Spicejet followed suit and announced travel restrictions on him. Vistara, which had not immediately banned Kamra, later prevented Karma from flying with it till 27 April, after an IndiGo internal committee found the stand-up comic guilty of misconduct.

Here’s what he had to say about media mannerisms.

Some pointed out how senior editors often expect nothing but ‘circus’ from journalists.

Other, like NDTV’s Sonia Singh, expressed happiness at the channel not being among reporters jostling on the aisle for one reaction from Ranaut.

Following The Quint’s report, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation had on Friday, 11 September, written to IndiGo, asking for a detailed report on the matter.

In its reply to the regulator, IndiGo said that its “cabin crew, as well as the captain followed all the requisite protocols, including announcements to restrict photography, follow social distancing and maintain overall safety.”

IndiGo also said that that it had followed protocol and documented the “matter in its post-flight report.”