NewzVille Desk
The Congress blamed the ‘duopoly’ policy of the government of India for the ongoing aviation crisis in the country saying it was “government induced”.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, senior party MP Sasikanth Senthil 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.
The Congress MP 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 also criticized 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.
Senthil 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 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.
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.
Senthil noted that the country was now “paying the price for policies that place corporate alliances above national welfare,” adding that passengers, markets, and industry stakeholders have been left vulnerable due to regulatory decisions and the government’s complete disregard for transparency, competition and public interest.
Holding the BJP government accountable he asked, why did it in the last 11 years allow aviation to shrink into a monopoly and duopoly instead of building a competitive, diverse sector?
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.
Senthil said, given the electoral bond disclosures showing massive purchases by InterGlobe group entities and its promoter, is the BJP’s financial proximity to IndiGo the real reason behind this extraordinary leniency at the cost of passengers’ safety?
Posinwg a direct question to the Union Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, he asked, will he take responsibility for this unprecedented crisis, or continue hiding behind generic, meaningless statements while passengers remain stranded?
