Harbhajan slams 'racist' Jet Airways pilot

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh brought to attention an incident of alleged racism from a Jet Airways pilot which took place on April 3, reports India Today.

Harbhajan unleashed his disappointment in a series of tweets, bringing to attention the behaviour of Bernd Hoesslin, the pilot who racially abused and assaulted two passengers on the flight, one of whom was disabled.

The 36-year-old, who recently became the 19th bowler and third Indian to pick 200 wickets in T20 cricket, told India Today: "A friend of mine she told me that this incident happened with her while she was flying from Chandigarh to Mumbai along with a very dear friend of mine, Jitender Shah, who is a Punjabi music director and who is also physically disabled."

"Actually I got to know yesterday about this whole incident that happened. A friend of my wife, Pooja Singh Gujral, told us this incident happened with them and the pilot was very rude and his behaviour was racist.

"You can't call us bloody Indians, we are proud Indians. He is no one to tell us who we are and what we do. He is earning in our country, he just can't tell what he feels what so ever," Harbhajan Singh told India Today.

"Indians should be treated like normal human beings. Whoever the pilot is, tell him he is working here, earning from our pockets, and Jet should sack him and send him back to his own country to earn his money.

"The pilots can't speak whatever they feel like, this is racial abuse. They not only called him bloody Indian, but pushed this lady as well, saying 'get out of my flight'. That's not his private charter.

"I would like each and every Indian to unite with this, whatever happened. Any Indian should not face racial abuse in our own country by someone who is working here. Strict action must be taken," he said.

Meanwhile, Jet Airways has issued a statement saying that the pilot has been derostered pending investigation.

"The pilot has been derostered pending investigation since the time we got to know. We take a very serious view of such issues," the airline said.