As the aviation sector reels under a major crisis with IndiGo cancelling thousands of flights in the recent days and leaving thousands of passengers stranded, Congress MP Sasikanth Senthil on Saturday slammed the BJP government, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised “ease of air travel” through UDAN but delivered “cease of air travel” instead.
Addressing the media here, he linked the crisis to the government prioritizing corporate interests over passenger safety and welfare.
“The present IndiGo chaos is not an accident. It is the direct outcome of the BJP government’s relentless push to manufacture a duopoly in the sector, and the disastrous consequences of that agenda are now exploding in full public view,” Senthil said.
He further added, “IndiGo’s cancellation of more than 1,000 flights on December 5, 2025, with hundreds more being axed on December 6, has brought the nation’s air travel to its knees.
“This crisis is not a natural breakdown; it is the predictable fallout of the BJP government that has been hell-bent on crushing competition, rewarding favourites, and reshaping an entire national industry to suit a tiny circle of corporate allies.”
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had released Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules in January 2024, but they were partially implemented from July 2025 and fully from November 1, 2025.
However, the government withdrew these rules amid the crisis, sparking concerns over pilot fatigue and passenger safety.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also blamed the government’s “duopoly model” for the chaos, saying India deserves fair competition, not “match-fixing monopolies.”
Other opposition leaders, including P Chidambaram and K C Venugopal, echoed similar sentiments, accusing the government of neglecting the aviation sector and prioritizing corporate interests.
Meanwhile, the government has ordered a high-level inquiry into the disruptions, with Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu promising strict action against those responsible.
However, opposition leaders are sceptical, questioning the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.