No place for Dalits and backwards in the heart of Congress: PM Modi

Agencies
May 10, 2018

Bengaluru, May 10: There is no place for Dalits and backward classes in the heart of the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, asserting his government is trying to realise B R Ambedkar's dream of a powerful and prosperous India.

Launching a blistering attack on the Congress over the way it has treated Dalits, Modi said the party showed no respect for Ambedkar.

The Congress, he alleged, used "all its power" to defeat Ambedkar when he contested Lok Sabha election in 1952 and Bandara Lok Sabha by-election in 1953.

"That is the reason why Baba Saheb had to face defeat and insult. Let Congress show at least one thing it did to honour Baba Saheb," he said.

Addressing BJP's SC/ST/OBC and Slum Morcha workers through his Namo App, Modi said, "There is no place for Dalits and backward classes in the heart of the Congress."

"This has been happening for decades. Till the time the Congress party was in power, Baba Saheb was not given Bharat Ratna," he said.

Maintaining that Ambedkar dreamt of an India which takes everybody forward together, he said the BJP is trying to fulfil his dream by implementing various schemes.

The government, he said, is making efforts to ensure there is social justice and equality.

Modi said 'Stand Up' and 'Mudra' Yojanas are playing a major role in the financial empowerment of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs and women.

Noting that the BJP has the most number of MPs belonging these categories, Modi said, it was for the first time after Independence that the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government created a separate ministry for scheduled tribes.

Also, it was under Vajpayee that the government created a separate national commission for scheduled tribes, he said.

Modi said the BJP has its governments in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh which have sizeable tribal population.

It is also in power in northeastern states like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura, and is part of coalition dispensations in Nagaland and Meghalaya."This shows that tribal people are fully supporting BJP," he said.

He said the party's manifesto for Karnataka elections has details of the programmes its government will undertake for the empowerment of the scheduled tribes.

In Chitradurga, Mysuru, Uttar Kannada and Bagalkot, the government will set up four 'sindhoora laxman training centres' for vocational training, he said.

Modi said the Congress never thought of giving constitutional status to OBC Commission.

"What problem they have I am yet to understand. Every time they create obstacles despite the community's demand for it," he said.

The Congress, he said, did not allow Parliament to function to block the government's move to accord constitutional status to OBC Commission.

Modi said his government made provisions of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act more stringent and increased the number of offences listed under it from 22 to 47.

"The government did this because I know what problems the poor face, what pain Dalits and tribals suffer, and what kind of language is used against them.

"He asked BJP workers to visit the homes of people belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes to reassure them that BJP will work for their welfare.

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News Network
November 21,2025

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An Indian Air Force (IAF) Tejas fighter jet crashed on Friday, November 21, afternoon during its aerial demonstration at the Dubai Air Show, plunging to the ground at around 2:10 pm local time while performing a manoeuvre before thousands of spectators.

The IAF confirmed the incident, stating that a Tejas aircraft participating in the show had crashed and that further details were being gathered. An Air Force spokesperson said more information would be shared after initial assessments.

The crash sent thick black smoke billowing into the sky near the airport, causing panic among visitors, including families and children who had gathered to watch the display. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the pilot managed to eject before the aircraft went down. Emergency response teams rushed to the scene, and officials have not released information on casualties or damage so far.

The Tejas is a 4.5-generation, multi-role fighter aircraft developed indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Designed for versatility, it is capable of offensive air support, close combat, ground attack missions and maritime operations. The aircraft family includes single-seat fighters and twin-seat trainers for both the Air Force and Navy.

HAL describes the latest version, the LCA Mk1A, as the most advanced in the series, featuring an AESA radar, an upgraded electronic warfare suite with radar-warning and self-protection jamming, smart multifunction displays, a digital map generator, a combined interrogator–transponder system and a modern radio altimeter. These enhancements significantly improve the aircraft’s combat capability and survivability.

Further updates from IAF and UAE authorities are awaited.

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News Network
December 4,2025

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Domestic carrier IndiGo has cancelled over 180 flights from three major airports — Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru — on Thursday, December 4, as the airline struggles to secure the required crew to operate its flights in the wake of new flight-duty and rest-period norms for pilots.

While the number of cancellations at Mumbai airport stands at 86 (41 arrivals and 45 departures) for the day, at Bengaluru, 73 flights have been cancelled, including 41 arrivals, according to a PTI report that quoted sources.

"IndiGo cancelled over 180 flights on Thursday at three airports-Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru," the source told the news agency.

Besides, it had cancelled as many as 33 flights at Delhi airport for Thursday, the source said, adding, "The number of cancellations is expected to be higher by the end of the day."

The Gurugram-based airline's On-Time Performance (OTP) nosedived to 19.7 per cent at six key airports — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad — on December 3, as it struggled to get the required crew to operate its services, down from almost half of December 2, when it was 35 per cent.

"IndiGo has been facing acute crew shortage since the implementation of the second phase of the FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) norms, leading to cancellations and huge delays in its operations across the airports," a source had told PTI on Wednesday.

Chaos continued at several major airports for the third day on Thursday because of the cancellations.

A spokesperson for the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru said that 73 IndiGo flights had been cancelled on Thursday.

At least 150 flights were cancelled and dozens of others delayed on Wednesday, airport sources said, leaving thousands of travellers stranded, according to news agency Reuters.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has said it is investigating IndiGo flight disruptions and has asked the airline to submit the reasons for the current situation, as well as its plans to reduce flight cancellations and delays.

It may be mentioned here that the pilots' body, Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), has alleged that IndiGo, despite getting a two-year preparatory window before the full implementation of new flight duty and rest period norms for cockpit crew, "inexplicably" adopted a "hiring freeze".

The FIP said it has urged the safety regulator, the DGCA, not to approve airlines' seasonal flight schedules unless they have adequate staff to operate their services "safely and reliably" in accordance with the New Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms.

In a letter to the DGCA late on Wednesday, the FIP urged the DGCA to consider re-evaluating and reallocating slots to other airlines, which have the capacity to operate them without disruption during the peak holiday and fog season if IndiGo continues to "fail in delivering on its commitments to passengers due to its own avoidable staffing shortages."

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News Network
November 30,2025

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Udupi: The pontiffs of Sri Paryaya Puttige Mutt, the sacred seat of Jagadguru Shrimad Madhvacharya Moola Samsthanam, have submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister seeking comprehensive development for Udupi district. 

Proposal for International Airport

A key request is the establishment of an international airport. Highlighting that around 1,000 acres of land are available and suitable, the pontiffs noted that the existing Mangalore Airport provides limited international connectivity. They suggested the airport be developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) or as a Greenfield Airport to boost trade, education, healthcare, and spiritual tourism.

Metro and Rapid Transit Connectivity

The proposal also calls for Metro Rail or Rapid Transit between Mangaluru and Udupi. The 55 km coastal stretch experiences heavy daily commuter traffic, causing congestion. The district administration is ready to prepare an initial project report for a Mass Rapid Transit corridor and requested inclusion under national urban mobility programmes to ensure safe, green, and time-efficient regional transport.

Port and Coastal Development

The pontiffs urged the development of an international-standard port with a cruise terminal along Udupi’s coast. They also requested fast-tracking of pending coastal tourism projects and revising Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms to encourage sustainable infrastructure and hospitality investment.

IT, AI and Technological Infrastructure

Support was sought for an IT and AI Innovation Park with incubation facilities under Digital India and Startup India initiatives. The proposal also emphasized the need for strengthened data security and cloud computing infrastructure to boost India’s technological independence.

Sports and Education Initiatives

The pontiffs requested national sports status for Kambala, along with financial and infrastructure support. They also sought the establishment of an AIIMS in Udupi, a new IIT campus, and approval for an IIM to promote higher education in the district.

Representation to the Prime Minister

Sri Sugunendra Tirtha Pontiff and Sri Sushrendra Tirtha Swamiji represented the pontiffs in submitting the comprehensive development proposal to the Prime Minister during his recent visit.

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