Digvijay admits to affair with TV anchor

May 1, 2014

New Delhi, May 1: Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Wednesday sprung a surprise by admitting to a relationship with a young television anchor, drawing sharp retorts from political opponents.

The 67-year-old, two time Madhya Pradesh chief minister, announced his relationship with journalist Amrita Rai on Twitter, thus putting an end to the rumour mills on social media where intimate photographs of the duo were a rage for the past couple of days.

“I have no hesitation in accepting my relationship with Amrita Rai. She and her husband have already filed a mutual consent divorce case,” Singh posted on the micro-blogging site in the afternoon.

“Once that is decided we would formalise it. But I do condemn encroachment in our private life,” he said in a separate posting.

Soon after Singh’s tweets, Rai declared on the micro-blogging site that she would marry the Congress general secretary after divorcing her husband. “I have separated from my husband and we have filed mutual consent divorce papers. After which I have decided to marry Digvijay Singh,” she tweeted.

Singh is a widower. His wife Asha Singh passed away in February last year after a prolonged battle with cancer. He has four daughters and a son from his marriage.

The revelation by Singh in the middle of elections has surprised many within the Congress. Singh’s relationship with Rai had become an election issue in Madhya Pradesh with a video CD of the two visiting temples together being circulated in the state. The BJP attacked Singh, who had fired salvos at BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, who acknowledged Jashodaben as his wife while filing papers from Vadodara.

“A new definition of morality has been given by the actions of senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh Sahab. Those who preach lessons of morality should first look within themselves to see if they are practising what they are preaching to others,” BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti tweeted, “As an ordinary citizen one has more freedom than someone who gets into politics.”

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IndiGo meltdown: 200 flights cancelled; Bengaluru hit hard with 42 cancellations

News Network

December 3,2025

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is battling one of its worst operational disruptions in recent years, with hundreds of delays and cancellations throwing domestic travel into chaos.

Government data on Tuesday showed its on-time performance plunging to 35%, an unusual dip for a carrier long associated with punctuality.

By Wednesday afternoon, airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad had collectively reported close to 200 cancellations, stranding travellers across the country.

Crew Shortage After New Duty Norms

A major trigger behind the meltdown is a severe crew shortage, especially among pilots, following the rollout of revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms last month.

The rules mandate longer rest hours and more humane rosters — a shift IndiGo has struggled to incorporate across its vast network.

Sources said several flights were grounded due to lack of cabin crew, while some delays stretched upwards of eight hours.

With IndiGo controlling over 60% of India’s domestic aviation market, the ripple effect has impacted airports nationwide.

IndiGo Issues Apology, Lists “Compounding Factors”

In a statement, IndiGo acknowledged the large-scale disruption:

“We sincerely apologise to customers. A series of unforeseen operational challenges — technology glitches, winter schedule changes, adverse weather, system congestion and updated FDTL norms — created a compounding impact that could not have been anticipated.”

To stabilise operations, the airline has begun calibrated schedule adjustments for the next 48 hours, aiming to restore punctuality. Affected passengers are being offered refunds or alternate travel arrangements, IndiGo said.

What the FDTL Rules Require

The FDTL norms, designed to reduce pilot fatigue, cap duty and flying hours as follows:
•   Maximum 8 hours of flying per day
•   35 hours per week
•   125 hours per month
•   1,000 hours per year

Crew must also receive rest equalling twice the flight duration, with a minimum 10-hour rest period in any 24-hour window.

The DGCA introduced these limits to enhance flight safety.

Hyderabad: 33 Flights Cancelled, Long Queues Reported

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport saw heavy early-morning crowds as 33 IndiGo flights (arrivals and departures) were cancelled.

The airport clarified on X that operations were normal, advising passengers to contact IndiGo directly for latest flight status.

Cancellations included flights to and from Visakhapatnam, Goa, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Madurai, Hubli, Bhopal and Bhubaneswar.

Bengaluru: 42 Flights Disrupted

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport recorded 42 cancellations — 22 arrivals and 20 departures — affecting routes to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa, Kolkata and Lucknow.

Passengers Vent on Social Media

Irate travellers took to X to share their experiences. One passenger stranded in Hyderabad wrote: “I have been here since 3 a.m. and missed an important meeting.”

Another said: “My flight was pushed from 1:55 PM to 2:55 PM and now 4:35 PM. I was informed only three minutes before entering the airport.”

Delhi Airport Hit by Tech Glitch

At Delhi Airport, the disruption deepened due to a slowdown in the Amadeus system — used for reservations, check-ins and departure control.

The technical issue led to longer queues and sluggish processing, adding to delays already worsened by staff shortages.

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