New Delhi : In a shameless  show of competitive politics, A TDP leader and a Congress politician came to blows, all on camera, at Dehraduns Jolly Grant Airport  over ferrying pilgrims back to the state. The embarrassing altercation between Congress MP Hanumantha Rao and TDP MPs Ramesh Rathod and K Narayana, who nearly exchanged blows, came in the presence of TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu over taking the flood victims back home by air.

Hanumantha Rao claimed that TDP leaders were preventing the flood victims from boarding a flight arranged by the Andhra Pradesh government to Hyderabad.

who will take the victims back home was the reason behind it . They are survivors of a tragedy; hungry, sick, cold and bereaved. Does it really matter whether they are Telegu or Gujarati or Rajasthani? And if that was not enough, the TDP chief decided to issue a statement saying “The government has been unable to take care of the Telegu people stranded in Uttarakhand. We are making alternate arrangements.” It is almost surreal to imagine rescue choppers announcing to the survivors hanging on for dear life to cliffs and ravines, Only Telegu,Gujarati,Rajasthani!.

The search and rescue and relief operations are being handled almost entirely by the Army, Air Force and ITBP. Not a word from the politicians about the brave men and women who are doing all the work. And this amidst reports that private chopper firms are charging Rs.3 lakh per passenger to ferry survivors to safer grounds and all political parties have chosen to turn a blind eye to this profiteering from a tragedy.