Swain further said that only 31 local terrorists, an all-time low, are left in the Union Territory, while the recruitment of locals into militancy has witnessed a drop of 80 per cent this year.
Addressing the passengers, 43-year-old Shekhar said he felt fortunate that his company entrusted him with the responsibility of flying the first flight to Ayodhya.
The counsel for the petitioner said he was not pressing for an interim order at this stage and argued that the law does not give power to the NDMC to remove a heritage structure.
Speaking to reporters in the capital, senior Congress leader and Maharashtra-in-charge Ramesh Chennithala said the leaders were instructed not to speak publicly on the matter.