'Anti-national' forces trying to derail efforts to end farmers protest: RSS

News Network
March 19, 2021

Bengaluru, Mar 19: The RSS on Friday claimed "anti-national and anti-social" forces were trying to thwart efforts towards finding a solution to the ongoing farmers' agitation against the three central farm laws and said it is not in anyone's interest for any kind of protest to be prolonged.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, holding a two-day meeting (March 19, 20) of its Akhila Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), the highest decision-making body of the organisation, here from Friday said discussions were a must and some agreements must be reached even if not all issues could be sorted out.

The farmers have been staging protests for over 100 days on the borders of Delhi against the three contentious farms laws, demanding that they be repealed as several rounds of talks held by the Centre have failed to break the ice.

"It is not in anyone's interest for any kind of agitation to be prolonged for a long time. Discussions are a must, but with a view to finding a solution. It is possible that not all issues are agreed upon, but it is essential that some agreements must be reached upon," RSS said in its Report-2021

It was also a matter of concern that day-to-day life remained affected due to agitations and "the problem becomes more serious when anti-national and anti-social forces try to thwart the ongoing efforts towards a solution," it said cautioning that the leadership of the present agitation should not allow such a situation to arise.

Noting that in the near past, "we have felt that such anti-national forces are trying to create an environment of disturbance and instability in the country to achieve their political ambitions", the Sangh said, "We believe that there are no unsolvable problems. What is needed is sincere efforts."

In a democracy, all have the freedom of expressing their views, but none can be given the right to create disturbance and instability in the country, it said.

Pointing out that the three bills relating to agriculture were passed by a majority in Parliament and farmer organisations opposing the action through protests, the RSS said the intensity of the agitation increased with time.

Several rounds of talks went on between the government representatives and agitating farmer organisations, but the agitators remained firm on their demand despite the government accepting a few proposals to modify the laws, it said.

Intensifying their agitation, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha has given a call for 'Sampurna Bharat Bandh' on March 26 and on March 28 the protestors will burn copies of the three laws during 'holika dehan'.

The three farm laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.

However, the protesting farmers, largely from Punjab and Haryana, have been maintaining these laws would lead to eliminating the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and allow big corporates to dominate.

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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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News Network
November 26,2025

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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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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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