Captain Machchhar’s Courage Prompts ABVP to Seek Ashoka Chakra

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has demanded the Ashoka Chakra for Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar, who was injured after being attacked by his Omani co-pilot during an alleged hijack attempt on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

The demand was made at the two-day all-India office-bearers meeting of the ABVP, which concluded in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, on Saturday. The meeting discussed issues concerning students, organisational work and the group's plans for upcoming programmes.

The ABVP said the meeting appreciated Machchhar's courage and demanded that he be awarded the country's highest peacetime military decoration in recognition of his actions to ensure the safety of passengers during the September 30 incident.

ABVP National General Secretary Virendra Singh Solanki said Machchhar's efforts to protect passengers demonstrated exceptional courage. He said the organisation had made the demand in view of the captain's actions during the incident.

The ABVP meeting also reviewed student union elections held recently across the country and discussed measures to strengthen democratic participation and student representation. It called for the restoration of regular student union elections in every state.

Solanki said this was the first time the ABVP's all-India meeting had been held in Itanagar and highlighted the organisation's work for students and national integration in the Northeast over the past six decades.

Machchhar was seriously injured after his co-pilot allegedly attacked him inside the cockpit of Flydubai flight FZ1073. The aircraft was subsequently diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.

The UAE has ordered an investigation into the incident, which authorities have described as an attempted terrorist act. Investigators are examining the circumstances and motive behind the attack.

Machchhar is currently recovering in the UAE.