Facing backlash over deleted tweet, Vistara sends officials to GD Bakshi's home to apologise, shares photo on social media

After facing a backlash for tweeting and then deleting a picture of its staff with GD Bakshi on Sunday, the domestic airline Vistara sent two senior officials to the home of the retired major general to tender an apology on Monday and posted the picture on social media on Tuesday.

 Earlier on Monday, Bakshi " target="_blank">took to Facebook to thank Vistara for sending the officials to his home to apologise over the incident. The airline on Sunday tweeted a picture of Bakshi along with two Vistara crew members standing behind him inside an aircraft, saying that it was honoured to have him onboard. “Honored to have Bakshi, a decorated Kargil war hero onboard our flight today. Thank you Sir, for your service to the nation,” the airline tweeted. The tweet attracted criticism, with many citing controversial comments made by the retired major general. Vistara then deleted the tweet and issued a statement saying it does not want its platform to be disrespectful to anyone. “We do not want our platform to be disrespectful or hurtful to anyone. Our decision to remove the post was driven by the objective of deleting such comments,” it wrote on the micro-blogging website.  In its statement, Vistara added that it routinely posts happy photos of its customers onboard, along with the crew. However, the deletion of the tweet then attracted the ire of various Twitter users, leading to #BoycottVistara trending on Twitter late Sunday evening. Among others, BJP Delhi unit’s spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga demanded an apology and said he would not travel on Vistara until the airline tweets the picture again. 

. @airvistara deleted Honourable @adgpi Officer General GD Bakshi Pic after Anti Army Gang Pressure. I will never travel on Air Vistara till thn they tweet Pic again & apologies , RT if you will #BoycottVistara pic.twitter.com/rbyAvgEIDn

— Tajinder Bagga (@TajinderBagga) April 21, 2019

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After the airline officials met Bakshi following the incident, Bagga thanked it for addressing the sentiments of “crores of Indians.”

. @airvistara के सीनियर आफीसर्स ने जनरल बक्शी के घर जाके जो घटना हुई उसके लिए माफी मांगी । धन्यवाद विस्तारा करोड़ो हिंदुस्तानियों की भावनाओ का ध्यान रखने के लिए । https://t.co/IrrWDNtFOB

— Tajinder Bagga (@TajinderBagga) April 23, 2019

With inputs from PTI