I think I should stay away from this debate: Modi on judicial crisis

News Network

January 22, 2018

New Delhi, Jan 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the government and political parties must stay out of the unprecedented judicial crisis, gave enough indications that the upcoming Budget may not be populist, and asserted that his poll slogan of “Congress-free India” was not aimed at eliminating the party politically.

In a wide-ranging 75-minute interview to the Times Now television channel, Mr. Modi said he was open to more changes in the GST to plug loopholes and make it a more efficient tax.

Asked about the crisis in the Supreme Court after the four senior-most judges came out to criticise allocation of sensitive cases by the Chief Justice, Mr. Modi said, “I think I should stay away from this debate. The government must also stay away. The political parties must also keep out of it.”

In his first public remarks on the crisis, he expressed confidence that the judiciary would sit together to find a solution to its problems. Mr. Modi said his slogan of ‘Congress-free India’ was about ridding the country of the “Congress culture”, which he termed casteist, dynastic, corrupt and involving total control over power, among other ills. Maintaining that the Congress had been the “main pillar” of politics in the country that spread its culture to all political parties, he said his call for “Congress mukt” or “Congress-free India” was “symbolic” and he wanted even the Congress to be free of the “Congress culture.”

He also attacked the party for its objection to the triple talaq Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Asked if his government will turn populist in the Budget, Mr. Modi said the issue falls within the ambit of the Finance Minister and he did not want to interfere in it. The common man, he said, expects honest governance. “He doesn’t demand sops and freebies. It is our myth.” Mr. Modi defended his economic policies, saying demonetisation was “a very big success story.”

He said the suggestion that the country’s foreign policy was based on Pakistan was wrong but stressed that the world was uniting against those sympathetic towards terrorists.

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Dar Pok saaala... Coward. Pol khul jayegi saale ki.

afraid of knowing the truth he does not want to debate anything

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Campus politics: DKS pushes to restore student elections in Karnataka banned since 1989

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November 26,2025

Bengaluru, Nov 26: Karnataka is taking its first concrete steps towards lifting a three-decade-old ban on student elections in colleges and universities. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced Wednesday that the state government will form a small committee to study the reintroduction of campus polls, a practice halted in 1989 following incidents of violence.

Speaking at a 'Constitution Day' event organised by the Karnataka Congress, Mr. Shivakumar underscored the move's aim: nurturing new political leadership from the grassroots.

"Recently, (Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to me and Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) asking us to think about restarting student elections," Shivakumar stated. "I'm announcing today that we'll form a small committee and seek a report on this."

Student elections were banned in Karnataka in 1989, largely due to concerns over violence and the infiltration of political party affiliates into campus life. The ban effectively extinguished vibrant student bodies and the pipeline of young leaders they often produced.

Mr. Shivakumar, who also serves as the Karnataka Congress president, said that former student leaders will be consulted to "study the pros and cons" of the re-introduction.

Acknowledging the history of the ban, he added, "There were many criminal activities taking place back then. We’ll see how we can conduct (student) elections by regulating such criminal activities."

The Deputy CM reminisced about his own journey, which began on campus. He recalled his political activism at Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College leading to his first Assembly ticket in 1985 at the age of 23. "That's how student leadership was at the time. Such leadership has gone today. College elections have stopped," he lamented, adding that for many, college elections were "like a big movement" where leaders were forged.

The move, driven by the Congress high command's push to cultivate young talent, will face scrutiny from academics and university authorities who have, in the past, expressed concern that the return of polls could disrupt the peaceful academic environment and turn campuses into political battlegrounds.

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India’s Tougher Pilot Fatigue Rules: Why IndiGo’s Operations Crashed Into Turbulence

News Network

December 6,2025

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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