Eknath Shinde’s flight delay turns into boon for kidney patient

Known for being a no-nonsense politician and a strict administrator, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde showed his humane side on Friday (June 6) when he came to the rescue of a woman, requiring an urgent kidney transplant, by taking her on board his chartered plane from Jalgaon to Mumbai for the procedure after she missed their flight to the state capital.

Shinde was on a visit to Muktainagar in Jalgaon district to take part in the Sant Muktabai Palkhi departure ceremony. But on his way back to Mumbai, he faced a slight delay as, according to an NDTV report, the pilot of his chartered flight refused to fly the plane saying his duty hours were over and that he had health issues.

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A ‘life-saving’ delay

“Deputy CM Eknath Shinde was on a visit to Muktainagar (in Jalgaon district) on Friday for the Sant Muktabai Palkhi departure ceremony. While returning to Mumbai, his flight was slightly delayed at the Jalgaon airport. That brief delay turned out to be life-saving for a woman in urgent need of a kidney transplant" stated a release from the deputy chief minister’s office.

Meanwhile, Sheetal Borde and her husband were left in the lurch as by the time they reached the airport, their scheduled flight to Mumbai had already departed.

The release further stated that the delay put her chances of undergoing the critical procedure in jeopardy.

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Shinde’s humane gesture

Borde then reached out to local activists at the airport and narrated her ordeal to them. They conveyed the matter to state minister Girish Mahajan, who in turn requested Shinde for help.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Shinde, known for being approachable by the common people, took both the woman and her husband on board his chartered flight to Mumbai. During the flight, he personally interacted with her, inquiring about her treatment, the release added.

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‘Devoted to the common citizen’

Mahajan later said they spoke to the deputy chief minister and also explained the situation to the pilot who eventually agreed to take off following due procedure. “It was a minor issue," Mahajan said, as quoted by NDTV.

Jalgaon's Guardian Minister Gulabrao Patil, who belongs to the ruling Shiv Sena led by Shinde, later praised the deputy CM's gesture.

"Eknath Shinde has once again proven that he remains devoted to the common citizen. His intervention in this case has not only saved a life but reaffirmed the values of empathy and public service," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)