Togadia launches hunger strike, says he was thrown out for demanding Ram Mandir, attacks Modi

Agencies
April 17, 2018

Ahmedabad, Apr 17: Hardline Hindutva demagogue Pravin Togadia, who recently had to resign from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, today began his indefinite fast in Ahmedabad, demanding among others construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and enforcement of the common civil code.

“After 50 years of my life dedicated to the welfare of Hindus, I was thrown out and for what… I didn’t ask for any posts, I didn’t ask for prime ministership…chai ka thaila ya pakoda talne ki karahi nahi manga (I didn’t ask for a bag of tea or pakoda frying vessel)…I was only demanding Ram Mandir, the issue on which he became the prime minister,” Togadia said in his usual inflammatory speech in the presence of over a dozen policemen and around 200 supporters.

Sixty-two-year-old Togadia, who has closely worked with Modi as well as the Sangh Parivar, had to quit the post of VHP international working president last Saturday after his nominee Raghav Reddy lost a key organisational poll held in Gurgaon.

Togadia said: “I have no personal issues with Narendrabhai as he portrays in the public. The only issue I have with him is his silence over making law for constructing the temple. If I wanted posts I would have become the chief minister back in 2001. You (Modi) would not have been the chief minister if I had issues with you.”

He also said that “Narendrabhai says the government will follow the court order. Was there any court order when the movement was started in 1982? Does he remember that Advaniji took out the Rath Yatra from Somnath to Ayodhya? Where was the court in 1992 when the mosque was demolished…”

Togadia is also demanding a nation-wide ban on cow slaughter and resettlement of displaced Kashmiri Pandits. He said “this is the first time that the prime minister who rose to power due to Hindus has branded gau rakshaks as goons.”

Police said no permission has been given to Togadia to hold the fast in full public view. Earlier, the event was to be held at GMDC Ground but the venue was later changed.

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shahid
 - 
Wednesday, 18 Apr 2018

Sab ek ki thaali ke chatte batte hai.... sab chor hai saale hinduism ke naam pe politics khelte hai

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News Network
December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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News Network
December 6,2025

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New Delhi: IndiGo, India’s largest airline, faced major operational turbulence this week after failing to prepare for new pilot-fatigue regulations issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The stricter rules—designed to improve flight safety—took effect in phases through 2024, with the latest implementation on November 1. IndiGo has acknowledged that inadequate roster planning led to widespread cancellations and delays.

Below are the key DGCA rules that affected IndiGo’s operations:

1. Longer Mandatory Weekly Rest

Weekly rest for pilots has been increased from 36 hours to 48 hours.

The government says the extended break is essential to curb cumulative fatigue. This rule remains in force despite the current crisis.

2. Cap on Night Landings

Pilots can now perform only two night landings per week—a steep reduction from the earlier limit of six.

Night hours, defined as midnight to early morning, are considered the least alert period for pilots.

Given the disruptions, this rule has been temporarily relaxed for IndiGo until February 10.

3. Reduced Maximum Night Flight Duty

Flight duty that stretches into the night is now capped at 10 hours.

This measure has also been kept on hold for IndiGo until February 10 to stabilize operations.

4. Weekly Rest Cannot Be Replaced With Personal Leave

Airlines can no longer count a pilot’s personal leave as part of the mandatory 48-hour rest.

Pilots say this closes a loophole that previously reduced actual rest time.

Currently, all airlines are exempt from this rule to normalise travel.

5. Mandatory Fatigue Monitoring

Airlines must submit quarterly fatigue reports along with corrective actions to DGCA.

This system aims to create a transparent fatigue-tracking framework across the industry.

The DGCA has stressed that these rules were crafted to strengthen flight safety and align India with global fatigue-management standards. The temporary relaxations are expected to remain until February 2025, giving IndiGo time to stabilise its schedules and restore normal air travel.

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