Spokesperson: Shri Sashikant Senthil: He held the central government responsible for the nationwide aviation disruption following IndiGo’s cancellation of over 1,000 flights on December 5 and hundreds more on December 6. “This is a government-made disaster stemming from deliberate policy decisions,” he remarked. He blamed the ‘duopoly’ policy of the government of India for the ongoing aviation crisis in the country saying it was “government induced”. The spokesperson maintained that the crisis was the “predictable fallout” of what he termed the government’s push to create a “duopoly” in the airline sector, arguing that sustained policy of favouritism had weakened market competition and left India vulnerable to operational shocks.

He criticised the government for withdrawing the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules—introduced in January 2024 and partially implemented from July 2025—contending that scrapping these protections during an industry-wide breakdown had compromised both passenger safety and crew wellbeing. He further alleged that the handover of multiple airports to Adani group exemplified a broader pattern of regulatory and policy decisions that promoted monopoly-like structures across infrastructure sectors including aviation, telecom and ports.

Citing electoral bond disclosures, he said that data showed significant purchases by Indigo’s parent company InterGlobe and its promoter Rahul Bhatia, much of which, he claimed, was encashed by the ruling party. He argued that these financial linkages raise legitimate concerns about regulatory leniency and policymaking that allegedly reshaped the sector’s competitive structure.

Shri Sashikant Senthil asserted that the current disruption demonstrates “crony capitalism” that prioritises select corporate interests, undermines transparency and destabilises national industries. “Aviation is only the latest casualty,” he remarked while seeking to link the pattern to other sectors.

The Congress MP asked the government to explain the aviation sector’s “contraction into a near-duopoly”, the DGCA’s enforcement actions on FDTL compliance, the implications of electoral bond transactions and political accountability for the ongoing disruption.

He asked, why did the DGCA fail to ensure IndiGo complied with the FDTL rules released in January 2024 and partially implemented from July 2025 and fully on 1 November, 2025? Did the government ever issue warnings or compliance notices to IndiGo, or was the airline protected from enforcement altogether? he questioned the government. Saturday, December 6, 2025