{"id":4270,"date":"2017-07-24T18:32:14","date_gmt":"2017-07-24T13:02:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/?p=4270"},"modified":"2017-07-24T18:57:08","modified_gmt":"2017-07-24T13:27:08","slug":"amit-shah-never-flies-chartered-planes-oh-really-financial-express","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/amit-shah-never-flies-chartered-planes-oh-really-financial-express\/","title":{"rendered":"“Amit Shah never flies in chartered planes”. Oh really, Financial Express?"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Amit Shah never flies in chartered planes, doesn\u2019t stay at hotels rather prefers party workers home,” claimed the headline of Financial Express<\/a> story about the simple lifestyle of BJP President. “Never” is a strong word. Let us fact check this story.<\/p>\n

Like the headline, the rest of the article also fawns over Shah, “Amit Shah chooses not to travel by planes, except during poll campaigns. The Bharatiya Janata Party generally takes commercial flights. The surprising fact is that even when Amit Shah travels to distant regions such as Leh or the Northeast, he takes the Pawan Hans choppers, that operate in the region, along with other passengers. The simplicity of the BJP chief doesn\u2019t end here. Even when he is on official trips, Shah doesn\u2019t check in to hotels instead prefers to stay in the homes of the party workers. These facts might surprise a few people thinking why such an important person lives such a simple life<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

Yes, these “facts” surprised us, but what surprised us more was that it was a leading national business paper like Financial Express<\/em> that chose to bring them to us.<\/p>\n

Google search is a wonderful tool. Simple to use, yet so many don’t do it before making outlandish claims.  If Financial Express had done this basic due diligence, they would have been saved the embarrassment. The article claims he “never” travels by chartered planes and chooses not to travel by planes except during poll campaigns.<\/p>\n

1. Earlier this year, in February, Rahul Kanwal posted pictures of his exclusive interview with Amit Shah. The pictures show Shah and Kanwal sitting across each other in a private jet.<\/p>\n

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Newsroom live tonight from the lovely Gomti riverfront in Lucknow. Do watch @IndiaToday<\/a> just now for exclusive interview with @AmitShah<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/hlSyYruBZw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Rahul Kanwal (@rahulkanwal) February 15, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. In March 2017, a special chartered flight with Amit Shah and Venkaiah Naidu on way to Imphal for Biren Singh’s swearing-in ceremony developed a snag and had to return to New Delhi.<\/p>\n

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Plane carrying Amit Shah, Venkaiah Naidu to Manipur returns after technical snaghttps:\/\/t.co\/uD0cMsxqk4<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/roz5QnM18q<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Deccan Chronicle (@DeccanChronicle) March 15, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

3. Also in March 2017, Modi and Shah were in Somnath. As per news reports<\/a>, “BJP chief arrived in the state on a 10-seater chartered plane from Varanasi”<\/p>\n

4. Moving on to helicopters, watch a video of Shah going to Haridwar in a helicopter.<\/p>\n