PM an honest man, should 'clean up' his Cabinet: Ramdev

June 3, 2012

New Delhi, Jun 3: Terming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh an "honest person", yoga guru Ramdev today asked him to make his Cabinet "corruption free."

He threatened the government with a "fight to the finish" by August for bringing back black money stashed away abroad as also against corruption.

"The Prime Minister was forced to give statement on illegal mining. We all know that Manmohan Singh is a honest person and we all respect him. But people expect him to make his Cabinet corruption free...Please fulfil your democratic duties," Ramdev said at Jantar Mantar here at the joint one-day fast with Anna Hazare.

Recalling Singh's statement that hunger and malnutirtion are a 'national shame', he said mere statements will not solve the problem.

Referring to the issue of black money, he alleged that Rs 400 lakh crore of Indian money was stashed abroad and if the amount was brought back to the country, the nation would become "far superior" to China and the United States.

"We need to bring back black money. I appeal to the people of the country to join this fight. We are intensifying this fight. From today, we are intensifying our protest to bring back black money stashed abroad and want all of the countrymen to be part of the fight to finish by August," he said before the start of the fast.

He claimed that FDI in India worth Rs 20 lakh crore holds the "key" to people involved in stashing black money abroad. "If the government names the actual owners of the FDI, the puzzle to black money will be solved," he said.

Seeking answers to the fall of the rupee and dipping GDP from Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Ramdev said the Indian economy will be strengthened if the black money is brought back and the youth are given ample employment opportunities.

Recalling the police crackdown on his supporters last year, Ramdev claimed it was "Ravan lila" played out at the Ramlila grounds.

"Even Mahatma Gandhi had said that India needs its own laws. But we still have British era laws like the one on land acquisition and the Police Act. We need swadeshi laws and remove the archaic laws," he said.

The yoga guru wondered why Team Anna and his followers are dubbed as "villains" when they speak against corruption and Lokpal as a mechanism to deal with it when Mahatma Gandhi was most vocal against graft.

He claimed efforts by the government to tarnish the image of Team Anna members and his aides had failed to break the movement against corruption.

"Whenever we talk of corruption, those in the power and leaders of the ruling party maintain that laws are not made on the streets...We are not against anyone...There is no family feud. All we need is a corruption-free India," he said.

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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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