Fuel price hike not an issue; previous govt responsible for hike: Union Minister

News Network

October 27, 2021

Bengaluru, Oct 27: Union Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers Bhagwanth Khuba on Tuesday claimed that the rising prices of essential commodities has not affected the common man.

"Where is the public outrage? There is no outrage," he said.

Khuba was responding to a question on rise in fuel prices at a news conference.

He maintained that the fuel hike was linked to oil bond loans imposed by the previous UPA government, a claim that has been countered by the Congress earlier. However, Khuba said the oil bonds, coupled with inflation, caused the price rise.

"There is no issue with the hike. It is only the Congress that is creating a ruckus over the issue. There is no public outcry against the hike," he asserted. "This is because the public is satisfied with the BJP government. The BJP government has controlled inflation in a much better manner compared to the previous UPA regime. People are aware of this," said Khuba, who represents Bidar in Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, Khuba also sought to clarify that there was no shortage of fertilisers. This follows some protests by farmers in the state over the issue. "There is no shortage of fertilisers. The government has enough stock. Farmers have been misinformed about it," he said.

He further lashed out at Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah for spreading misinformation. "The Congress is desperate to win the bypolls in Hangal and Sindagi, when they know that they do not stand a chance against BJP. With ulterior motives, Siddaramaiah is spreading misinformation on fertiliser shortage," he charged.

Spreading rumours about shortage when there is none will only lead to artificial deficit as farmers will start hoarding up fertilisers and middlemen will begin fleecing farmers with exorbitant prices, he pointed out.

According to government data, there is a total demand of 2.8 lakh MT until the end of October 2021 for fertilisers. This includes Muriate of Potash (MOP), Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP), Complex fertiliser and Urea. After fulfilling the demand, there is still 6.05 lakh MT of fertiliser available, according to Khuba.

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Flight cancellations strand passengers overnight at Mangaluru Airport

News Network

December 4,2025

Mangaluru: Chaos erupted at Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) after IndiGo flight 6E 5150, bound for Mumbai, was repeatedly delayed and ultimately cancelled, leaving around 100 passengers stranded overnight. The incident highlights the ongoing country-wide operational disruptions affecting the airline, largely due to the implementation of new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms for crew.

The flight was initially scheduled for 9:25 PM on Tuesday but was first postponed to 11:40 PM, then midnight, before being cancelled around 3:00 AM. Passengers expressed frustration over last-minute communication and the lack of clarity, with elderly and ailing travellers particularly affected. “Though the airline arranged food, there was no proper communication, leaving us confused,” said one family member.

An IndiGo executive at MIA cited the FDTL rules, designed to prevent pilot fatigue by limiting crew working hours, as the cause of the cancellation. While alternative arrangements, including hotel stays, were offered, about 100 passengers chose to remain at the airport, creating tension. A replacement flight was arranged but also faced delays due to the same constraints, finally departing for Mumbai around 1:45 PM on Wednesday. Passengers either flew, requested refunds, or postponed their travel.

The Mangaluru delay is part of a broader crisis for IndiGo. The airline has been forced to make “calibrated schedule adjustments”—a euphemism for widespread cancellations and delays—after stricter FDTL norms came into effect on November 1.

While an IndiGo spokesperson acknowledged unavoidable flight disruptions due to technology issues, operational requirements, and the updated crew rostering rules, the DGCA has intervened, summoning senior airline officials to explain the chaos and outline corrective measures.

The ripple effect has been felt across the country, with major hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai reporting numerous cancellations. The Mangaluru incident underscores the systemic operational strain currently confronting India’s largest carrier, leaving passengers nationwide grappling with uncertainty and delays.

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In meeting with Zohran Mamdani, Trump repeats claim he stopped India-Pak war

Agencies

November 22,2025

New York/Washington: US President Donald Trump has again claimed to have solved the conflict between India and Pakistan, repeating his assertion during a meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office.

Mamdani flew to Washington DC for his first meeting with Trump in the White House on Friday. Trump said he “enjoyed” the meeting, which he described as “great.”

During remarks in the Oval Office, with Mamdani standing next to him, Trump repeated his claim that he solved the May conflict between India and Pakistan.

"I did eight peace deals of countries, including India and Pakistan,” he said.

On Wednesday, Trump had said he threatened to put 350 per cent tariffs on India and Pakistan if they did not end their conflict, repeating his claim that he solved the fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called him to say “we're not going to go to war.”

Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after a “long night” of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim over 60 times that he “helped settle” the tensions between India and Pakistan.

India has consistently denied any third-party intervention. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.

Mamdani emerged victorious in the closely-watched battle for New York City Mayor, becoming the first South Asian and Muslim to be elected to sit at the helm of the largest city in the US.

He had been the front-runner in the NYC Mayoral election for months and defeated Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and political heavyweight former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent candidate and was officially endorsed by Trump just hours before the elections.

Indian-descent Mamdani is the son of renowned filmmaker Mira Nair and Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani. He was born and raised in Kampala, Uganda and moved to New York City with his family when he was 7. Mamdani became a naturalised US citizen only recently, in 2018.

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