Modi govt messed up the economy, mismanaged J&K: Manmohan Singh

TOI
March 18, 2018

New Delhi, Mar 18: Senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh today attacked the BJP-led NDA government for failing to deliver on its "tall promises" and "making a mess" of the Indian economy.

"The BJP government made tall promises. PM Modi himself said that his government will double farmers' income. For that, a growth rate of 12 per cent per annum is necessary which is unthinkable in the current scenario," Singh said in an address at the 84th plenary session of the Congress.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's propensity for "jumlebaazi" (empty rhetoric), Singh charged that the work done by this union government falls short of the claims made by its leaders.

"He (Modi) said we will provide 2 crore jobs, we have not seen even 2 lakh jobs... It is a jumla-type statement unlikely to be achieved," he charged.

Describing the government's demonetisation move as "ill-considered" and GST as "hastily implemented", the Congress leader said the twin measures had "messed up Indian economy".
In a similar vein, Congress leader P Chidambaram claimed the Modi government had inherited a strong economy legacy from the erstwhile UPA regime, but four year on, the Indian economy is lagging behind its global competitors.

"Today, the Indian economy is decoupled from the world economy which is growing," he said.

He also termed demonetisation a "big lie", before offering some choice words of advice to the RBI governor.

"Demonetisation was a big lie. RBI is still counting and won't tell us how much money has come back. I would like to advice the RBI Governor to go to Tirupati and get the hundi collectors. They count money faster than the RBI," Chidambaram quipped.

Singh, a noted economist and former finance minister, disparaged the budgetary allocations made by the government for the defence sector, calling it "inadequate" given the current geo-political scenario in India's neighbourhood.

"The defense expenditure of our country is no more than 1.6 per cent of our GDP. This is far too inadequate to meet the challenges of our security apparatus and our needs," he said. 

On Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Singh blamed the BJP-PDP combine for engendering instability, and likened the two parties to "the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing".

"The Modi government has mismanaged issues in J&K like never before. They have installed a government where the two wings of the administration are working against each other. The atmosphere is deteriorating everyday," he warned.

The former PM said that India currently standing at the crossroads, and while it has many opportunities in hand, it also faces many challenges. At such a time, the Congress party will provide a new pathway to chalk out the future of the country, he asserted.

"The Congress party made India what it is today. It led the freedom struggle and guided India towards development after Independence. Today, we face similar challenges of carrying forward development and social justice," said Singh.

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News Network
December 4,2025

Udupi: A 40-year-old NRI from Udupi has reportedly lost more than Rs 12.25 lakh in an online investment scam operated through Telegram.

According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, Leo Jerome Mendonsa, who has been working in Dubai for the past 15 years in computer accessories sales, maintains NRI accounts in Karkala and Nitte.

On November 12, 2025, Mendonsa was added to a Telegram group called Instaflow Earnings by unknown individuals. Users identified as Priya and Dipannita persuaded him to invest in “Revenue Tasks.” Initially, Mendonsa transferred Rs 1,100 multiple times and received the promised returns, encouraging him to continue.

On November 14, another user, Nishmitha Shetty, directed him to register on a website, digitvisionuoce.cc, and invest Rs 4 lakh in various shares. Over the next few days, he made multiple transfers totaling Rs 12,25,000, including Rs 50,000 via Google Pay, believing the scheme was legitimate.

After receiving the money, the alleged handlers stopped responding, and neither the invested amount nor the promised profits were returned.

The CEN police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigations are ongoing.

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News Network
December 7,2025

envoy.jpg

Since 1946, the United States has attempted 93 coups or “regime change” operations across the world — including two in Iran, US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack has admitted.

Speaking to the UAE-based IMI Media Group, in remarks published by The National, Barrack said Washington tried twice to overthrow the Iranian government but failed both times. 

“For (Trump) then to be imputed with regime change — we had two regime changes in Iran already. Neither one worked. So I think wisely leave it to the region to solve,” said Barrack, who also serves as the US ambassador to Turkey.

His comments come six months after the US joined Israel in airstrikes against Iran during ongoing indirect nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

On June 13, Israel launched an attack on Iran that killed at least 1,064 people and hit civilian infrastructure. Days later, the United States targeted three nuclear facilities — Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan — in what Iran called a clear violation of international law. Iranian retaliation eventually forced a halt to the assault on June 24.

Barrack further claimed that US President Donald Trump and Foreign Secretary Marco Rubio are “not into regime change” and prefer a regional approach driven by Middle Eastern countries themselves. According to him, regional dialogue and non-interference by outside powers offer a more durable path forward.

He added that Washington is still open to an agreement with Tehran if Iranian authorities show “seriousness” and willingness to engage constructively.

However, Iran maintains the US has not shown readiness for meaningful talks. In an interview with Japan’s Kyodo News, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said negotiations could advance only if Washington acknowledges Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy and lifts unilateral sanctions.

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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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