Modi needles Modi in BJP

June 20, 2012

Patna, June 20: Shortly after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asked his alliance partner, the BJP, to name a prime-ministerial candidate with secular credentials before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi toed Nitish’s line and virtually rejected Narendra Modi’s name as the alliance candidate for the “top post”.

Nitish, who has assiduously cultivated his “secular and development-oriented” image over the years, was quite categorical in his interview to a national daily when he said:

“The leader of the coalition should have secular credentials and liberal frame of mind. He should be someone who has absolute faith in democratic values in a multi-religious and multi-lingual country like ours.”

Such is Nitish’s antipathy for Narendra Modi that he ensured Bihar remained out of bounds for the Gujarat leader during 2010 Assembly elections.

Sushil Modi on Tuesday said that it would be better if the BJP-led alliance names its “widely acceptable” prime-ministerial candidate, someone like Vajpayee, much ahead of 2014 polls so that the people of the country could get time to judge and decide.

But the comments from both the top leaders of Bihar drew sharp criticism from the saffron party. “Who will give the certificate of secularism? The stature of Narendra Modi is so tall that he does not need any certificate from anyone,” Animal Husbandry Minister (of the BJP) Giriraj Singh minced no words in slamming the JD (U) strongman without naming him.

“The timing of raking up this issue is horribly wrong. At a time when the NDA is mulling over names of presidential candidate, bringing up the issue of prime-ministerial candidate for 2014 polls makes no sense,” remarked senior BJP MLA from Nokha, Ram Naresh Chaurasia. “Instead,” he opined, “the focus of the person (ruling Bihar) should be on fast development of the state, rather than frequent display of his antipathy towards his Gujarat counterpart.”

Meanwhile, JD (U) president Sharad Yadav is reported to have counselled Nitish to focus on Bihar’s governance. “As and when the time comes, we will decide on the NDA’s prime ministerial candidate,” he is believed to have said. Sharad’s attempt to douse the flames comes after Nitish said he would walk out of the BJP-led alliance if the Gujarat chief minister were to be projected as the prime minister. “I have cordial relations with Bihar BJP. But if external forces are bent on spoiling this relationship, I cannot help,” Nitish reportedly said.

But his bete noire Lalu Prasad on Tuesday took a dig at Nitish and said, “He should first clarify whether there is anyone in the BJP with secular image. Kaheen pe nigahein, kaheen pe nishana. (Eyeing something, targeting someone else?) Is he trying to build a consensus on his name within the NDA?”, he wondered.

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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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