‘Seva Pani Ka Mauka Do’: SpiceJet employee who slapped CISF personnel at Jaipur Airport alleges sexual harassment
A viral video showed the female SpiceJet employee slapping CISF ASI Giriraj Prasad after a heated argument between them.
A SpiceJet staff member, who was arrested for slapping an Assistant Sub-Inspector of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at the Jaipur Airport on Thursday, alleged that she was sexually harassed, which forced her to slap him.
Speaking to ANI on Saturday, the SpiceJet staff said, “I report for duty at the same time. Like every day, at 4:30am on 11th July, I was doing my work when ASI Giriraj Prasad came and said, ‘Give us a chance to take care of you (Humey bhi apna seva-paani ka mauka do)’. Then, when I asked him to call a lady constable for frisking. He again said, 'How much money will you charge for a night (Ek raat rukne ka kya logi)'.”
The staff member added, “He said, ‘Listen to me, you'll feel better. Your work will get done quickly.’ I told him that I would file a police complaint against you to which he said ‘You can’t do anything to me. I have seen a lot of women like you, I'll get you fired. (Tumhare jaisi bazaaru aurat maine bohot dekhi hai, tumhey naukri se nikalwa dunga.)'”
A viral video showed the female SpiceJet employee slapping CISF ASI Giriraj Prasad after a heated argument between them.
After ASI Prasad filed a complaint, stating that she slapped him during an argument about security screening at the airport, the police arrested the SpiceJet employee.
Speaking about ASI's complaint, she said, “He filed a complaint against me before I did. I have not complained anywhere else except to the police.”
After the incident occurred, SpiceJet issued a statement saying, “Today, an unfortunate incident occurred at Jaipur Airport involving a SpiceJet female security staff member and a male CISF personnel. While escorting a catering vehicle at the steel gate, our female security staff member, who had a valid airport entry pass issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), India’s civil aviation security regulator, was subjected to inappropriate and unacceptable language by the CISF personnel, including asking her to come and meet him after his duty hours at his home. SpiceJet is taking immediate legal action in this serious case of sexual harassment against its female employee and has approached the local police. We stand firmly by our employee and are committed to providing her with full support.”
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The woman said that she had been working with SpiceJet for five years. She added that she had worked in the security department of the airline and knew all the rules and regulations.
As per the complaint filed by ASI Prasad, the SpiceJet crew member arrived at the airport at 4am while he was on duty. He said that she attempted to enter without a security check and when stopped and asked for screening, she refused, citing the absence of female staff. He alleged that he then contacted the airport control to request female staff via wireless message. He stated that the crew member became angry, argued, and slapped him before a female staff member arrived.
The SpiceJet employee added, “Their [ASI Prasad's] statement that I was forcing to go inside and that I did not have a valid card is wrong. We meet CISF staff every day but usually, we coordinate with the female staff. We do not even talk to the male staff on a daily basis...There is a female staff member there in the morning every day, but there are no female staff members at night. It happens every day that we take the catering van, give them the slip and we go towards the departure hall. There is never any female staff there.”
Earlier on Saturday, Advocate Deepak Chouhan, who is representing the SpiceJet employee, said to ANI, “The SpiceJet employee has been arrested. She was sexually harassed by the CISF ASI at Jaipur Airport. Abusive words were used against her, which caused her to lose her cool and slap the CISF officer. This was her natural response to the incident. In court FIR, we have mentioned that the woman had not displayed such behaviour in the past. Had this been her usual behaviour, such incidents would have come to light earlier. However, this is a matter of investigation.”