IndiGo airline's monopoly in the aviation sector has now come under scrutiny. The Competition Commission of India (CCI), the country's fair trade watchdog, is investigating whether the country's largest airline has violated competition rules to maintain its dominant position.

The IndiGo crisis is being considered a clear violation of Section 4 of the Competition Act. According to this section, no company can charge arbitrary prices based on its dominant position or arbitrarily operate services to the detriment of customers.

The Competition Commission is internally investigating several aspects of IndiGo's monopoly, including its dominance on specific routes and potential abuse of its market power. If the allegations of price gouging are substantiated, the commission will order a formal investigation.

Meanwhile, an IndiGo spokesperson stated on Saturday that they are compiling a list of flights from December 3rd, 4th, and 5th that caused significant inconvenience to passengers and left them stranded at airports. All passengers on these flights will be contacted directly in January to facilitate compensation.

IndiGo appoints international expert to investigate the crisis

A severe shortage of crew members at IndiGo in the first week of December, due to changes in aviation regulations by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), led to the cancellation of over 5,000 IndiGo flights between December 1st and 10th.

IndiGo has decided to entrust the internal investigation of the matter entirely to an international expert. CEO Pieter Elbers appeared before the DGCA committee on Friday. The company had already appointed world-renowned aviation expert Captain John Ilson to conduct an independent investigation.

This move indicates that the airline is under pressure to conduct a thorough review of its operational model and management processes. Ilson has led top global institutions for four decades. The appointment was made on the recommendation of the IndiGo board's Crisis Management Group. Four Flight Operations Inspectors Dismissed

The DGCA has dismissed four IndiGo flight operations inspectors – Rishi Raj Chatterjee, Seema Jhamnani, Anil Kumar Pokhriyal, and Priyam Kaushik. These officers were responsible for monitoring the airline's safety and operational compliance.

DGCA Changes Surveillance Rules

Amidst increasing incidents of flight delays, congestion, staff shortages, and operational disruptions across the country, the DGCA has ordered a complete overhaul of its surveillance system. The order was implemented immediately on Friday.

For the first time, the DGCA has implemented such a comprehensive and on-the-ground inspection mechanism as a standardized procedure. This will increase accountability and transparency for both airport operators and airlines. Key points of the 12-page new order:

All DGCA inspection teams will now be required to spend a minimum of 7 hours at airports during their regular inspection visits and assess operational readiness in real-time.
The DGCA has also mandated a special 32-point Airport Inspection Checklist for the new surveillance system, which every inspection team must fill out and send to headquarters within 48 hours.
Now, any scheduled flight delayed by 15 minutes or more due to technical reasons will be subject to mandatory investigation. The company will have to explain the reason for the delay, how it was rectified, and what measures were taken to prevent recurrence. These provisions were not in place before.
The company must immediately inform the DGCA by phone of any ‘major defect’. A detailed report must be submitted within 72 hours. If a defect is repeated three times, it will be considered a ‘repetitive defect’, and a separate special investigation will be initiated.

What will be checked during inspections...

Under the new protocol, detailed inspections will be conducted in critical areas such as licensing compliance, training records, duty rosters, fatigue management, staff availability, ground handling operations, Safety Management System (SMS), risk assessment, ramp safety, and emergency response. Services such as crowd control, management of check-in and security queues, help desks, information dissemination, drinking water, seating arrangements, baggage delivery, and assistance for passengers with special needs will be assessed on-site.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reprimanded the central government over the IndiGo crisis. The court questioned what the government did when the airline failed. It asked how flight ticket prices surged from Rs. 4,000-5,000 to Rs. 30,000, and how other airlines took advantage of the situation. "What action did you take? You allowed the situation to reach this point," the court said.

A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking an independent judicial inquiry into the IndiGo crisis and compensation for passengers whose flights were cancelled or who were stranded at airports.

During the hearing, the court stated that this is not just a matter concerning individual passengers, but it has also caused economic losses to the country. The government must ensure that such a situation does not recur in the future.

Meanwhile, the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) has summoned IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers for a meeting at 3 PM on Thursday.

Government says DGCA will also be investigated

The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) is also now under the scanner of the central government regarding the IndiGo crisis. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said in an interview that not only IndiGo but also the functioning of the DGCA will be investigated regarding the airline's failures. The minister apologized for the inconvenience caused to passengers and said that strict and appropriate action will be taken against those responsible.

The minister said that IndiGo's major failure does not seem like a normal mistake, but rather indicates deliberate negligence. He said the government is investigating why such a crisis occurred at that particular time and how the situation deteriorated despite ongoing operations.

On the question of removing the CEO, Naidu said that he will be removed if necessary. All necessary legal action will be taken. Naidu also said that he has been holding continuous meetings for the past seven days and has barely slept, as the focus is solely on resolving the passengers' problems. IndiGo claimed to have 403 aircraft and secured 6% more flights.

The DGCA stated that there is a significant discrepancy between IndiGo's declared operating capacity and the actual number of aircraft it is using. This means the company is not operating as many aircraft as it claims to be capable of.

According to the DGCA, IndiGo secured a 6% larger winter schedule by claiming to have 403 aircraft, but only 339 aircraft were operational in October and 344 in November. In November, only 59,438 flights operated out of the scheduled 64,346, a shortfall of 4,900 flights.

They further explained that while there is already pressure on the system during the winter months, the company scheduled 9.66% more flights in the winter schedule that began on October 26th compared to the previous year, even though it could not demonstrate the capacity to handle this increase. This added extra burden on the system.

Prime Minister Modi initiated a discussion in the Lok Sabha on Monday to commemorate 150 years of Vande Mataram. In his hour-long speech, he said, "Vande Mataram was a befitting reply to the British, and this slogan continues to inspire even today. Mahatma Gandhi also liked it during the freedom struggle. He saw this song as a national anthem."

The Prime Minister said that the power of this song was immense for him. Then why was so much injustice done to it in the past decades? Why was Vande Mataram betrayed? What was that force that overpowered even the sentiments of revered Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi)?

In his hour-long speech, PM Modi mentioned Vande Mataram 121 times, the country 50 times, India 35 times, the British 34 times, Bengal 17 times, and Congress 13 times. He mentioned the creator of Vande Mataram, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, 10 times, Nehru 7 times, Mahatma Gandhi 6 times, the Muslim League 5 times, Jinnah 3 times, the Constitution 3 times, Muslims 2 times, and appeasement 3 times.

Nehru bowed before Jinnah

Modi said that Muhammad Ali Jinnah raised a slogan against Vande Mataram from Lucknow on October 15, 1936. The then Congress president, Jawaharlal Nehru, felt his position was threatened.

The PM said that instead of giving a strong reply to the baseless statements of the Muslim League and condemning them, the opposite happened. He started an inquiry into Vande Mataram itself.

6 major points from the PM's speech:

Remembering Vande Mataram is a great privilege for this House: "It is a great privilege for all of us in this House to remember Vande Mataram, the mantra, the slogan that energized and inspired the country's freedom movement, and showed the path of sacrifice and penance."
India is progressing rapidly on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram: When Vande Mataram completed 50 years, the country was shackled in the chains of slavery. When it completed 100 years, the country was in the darkness of the Emergency. Today, as it completes 150 years, India has become the world's fifth-largest economy and is growing rapidly.
He narrated an anecdote from 1906: While recounting an incident related to Vande Mataram, he said that on May 20, 1906, a Vande Mataram procession was taken out in Barisal (now in Bangladesh), in which more than 10,000 people took to the streets. People of all religions and castes, including Hindus and Muslims, marched on the streets holding Vande Mataram flags.

Vande Mataram became the slogan of every street in Bengal: Our brave sons would climb the gallows without any fear and chanted Vande Mataram until their last breath. Countless freedom fighters embraced death while chanting Vande Mataram. Vande Mataram became the slogan of every street for the unity of Bengal, and this slogan inspired Bengal.

Nehru bowed down to the Muslim League: Jawaharlal Nehru saw his throne shaking. Instead of giving a strong reply to the baseless statements of the Muslim League and condemning them, the opposite happened. He started investigating Vande Mataram itself. Nehru wrote a letter to Netaji five days later. In it, agreeing with Jinnah's sentiments, he wrote that the Anandamath background of Vande Mataram could hurt the feelings of Muslims. He wrote – this background will provoke the Muslims. The Congress issued a statement that a meeting of the Congress Working Committee would be held on October 26 to review the use of Vande Mataram.
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People took out processions across the country against this proposal, but the Congress fragmented Vande Mataram. History is witness that the Congress bowed down to the Muslim League.

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INC has become an MNC: Congress has outsourced, unfortunately, the policies of Congress remain the same. INC has become an MNC. Whoever Congress associates with, they create controversy over Vande Mataram. When the time of trial comes, it is then that it is proven how resolute and strong we are.
Discussion in Lok Sabha on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram

On Monday, the sixth day of the winter session of Parliament, a discussion is being held in the Lok Sabha on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. Ten hours have been allotted for this discussion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the discussion at 12 noon. Gaurav Gogoi, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha from the main opposition party Congress, was the first to speak.

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The Government of India is organizing a year-long program to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram. On December 2, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla convened a meeting of representatives from all parties. It was decided in this meeting that a discussion on Vande Mataram would be held in the Lok Sabha on December 8 and in the Rajya Sabha on December 9.

Due to new safety regulations in the aviation sector, India's largest airline, IndiGo, is facing a crew shortage for the third consecutive day. This has severely impacted IndiGo's operations. According to news agency PTI, more than 300 IndiGo flights were canceled on Thursday at over 10 airports, including Delhi and Mumbai.

A passenger at Pune airport reported waiting for more than eight hours. Both floors of the airport were crowded with passengers, and three passengers even fainted. The airline was not sending any messages regarding the flight cancellations.

At Delhi airport today, a total of 95 IndiGo flights were canceled. These included 48 domestic and international flights departing from Delhi and 47 arriving flights. Similarly, 86 flights were canceled in Mumbai, 50 in Bengaluru, 70 in Hyderabad, 4 in Jaipur, and 3 in Indore.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has changed the safety regulations related to the working hours of pilots and other crew members for all airlines, effective November 1st. This has had the biggest impact on IndiGo. On Thursday, IndiGo officials met with the DGCA to discuss the matter.

IndiGo has the most planes, hence the biggest impact

The airline operates approximately 2,300 domestic and international flights daily. This number is almost double the number of flights operated by Air India in a day. On such a large scale, even if 10-20 percent of flights are delayed or canceled, it means 200-400 flights are affected, causing major difficulties for thousands of passengers. On Wednesday, more than 200 IndiGo flights were also affected.

Now, understand the new DGCA rules

The DGCA has changed the rules related to the working hours of pilots and other crew members, effective November 1st. This is called Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL). These rules have been implemented in two phases. The first phase was implemented on July 1st.

The second phase came into effect on November 1st. The new rules emphasize providing adequate rest to pilots and crew to enhance passenger safety. This has resulted in a sudden shortage of pilots and crew members for airline companies. The DGCA stated that a total of 1,232 IndiGo flights were canceled in November, including 755 due to the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules.

IndiGo says the situation will normalize by December 5th

The airline issued a statement on Wednesday, saying that minor technical glitches, schedule changes due to winter, bad weather, slow network in the aviation system, and the new rules related to crew members' shift charts (Flight Duty Time Limitation) have adversely affected operations. This was not possible to anticipate beforehand. The situation will normalize by December 5th.

IndiGo officials met with the DGCA

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had asked IndiGo on Wednesday for details of the reasons for the current problems and the plan to address them. The DGCA said it is investigating the matter and assessing ways to reduce flight cancellations and delays. Airline officials met with the DGCA on Thursday.

Read Also :  Chennai Metro train stuck in tunnel due to technical snag; coach in darkness for 10 minutes

According to the DGCA, the shortage of crew is the main reason. This problem has been ongoing at IndiGo since last month. 1232 of its flights were canceled in November. On Tuesday, 1400 flights were delayed.

PM Narendra Modi performed puja at the Sri Krishna Matha in Udupi, Karnataka, on Friday. He inaugurated the Golden Tirtha Mandap and offered a golden Kalash. Following this, the PM recited the Srimad Bhagavad Gita along with 100,000 people. The PM arrived in Udupi around 11 a.m. and also held a three-kilometer road show.

The Prime Minister will travel to Goa in the evening to unveil a 77-foot-tall bronze statue of Lord Rama at the Sri Sansthan Gokarna Jivottam Matha in Canacona.

The statue was created by Ram Sutar, the sculptor of the Statue of Unity. It is the world's tallest statue of Lord Rama. During the event, the Prime Minister will release a special commemorative postage stamp and a coin.

PM's address: 4 key points...

Visiting Udupi is very special for me. Udupi has been the birthplace of the Jan Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party's model of good governance. In 1968, the people of Udupi elected V.S. Acharya of the Jan Sangh to the Udupi Municipal Corporation. Additionally, Udupi laid the foundation for a new governance model.

I was born in Gujarat, and there is a deep connection between Gujarat and Udupi. The idol installed here was worshipped by Mother Rukmini in Dwarka. Later, this idol was installed here. Last year, I visited Dwarka Ji, which is under the sea.

Mantras and verses from the Gita have been recited in our society for centuries. But when 100,000 voices recite these verses in unison, when so many people recite a sacred text like the Gita, when such divine words resonate together in one place, an energy is released that gives our minds and brains a new vibration and new strength.

Shri Krishna preached the Gita on the battlefield. The Bhagavad Gita teaches us that to restore peace and truth, it is necessary to end the oppressor. This is the essence of the National Security Policy. Previous governments did not retaliate after terrorist attacks, but this is the new India. We know how to establish peace and protect it.

The Prime Minister will arrive at the Sri Sansthan Gokarna Paratagali Jivottam Math in Canacona, South Goa, at 4 p.m. This Math is considered the first major center of the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin Vaishnav tradition and follows the Dvaita order. The Math is headquartered in the town of Paratagali, located on the banks of the Kushavati River.

In Canacona, the Prime Minister will unveil a 77-foot-tall bronze statue of Lord Shri Ram. He will also inaugurate the 'Ramayana Theme Park Garden' developed by the Math. The statue was created by renowned sculptor Ram Sutar, who created the Statue of Unity in Gujarat.

People participating in the protest against air pollution at India Gate in Delhi on Sunday late evening waved posters of the country's most wanted Naxalite commander Madhvi Hidma (44). In the posters, Hidma was compared to tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda. Hidma was said to be the guardian of water, forest and land.

The protesters raised slogans like "Madhavi Hidma Amar Rahe". He also wrote slogans like "Madhvi Hidma Ko Lal Salaam" on the posters. A protester's poster read, "From Birsa Munda to Madavi Hidma, our forests and environment will continue to struggle."

During the demonstration, the crowd also clashed with the police. The protestors pepper sprayed the police, injuring three to four policemen. Delhi Police has registered an FIR in two police stations on Monday. So far 22 people have been arrested.

Let us tell you that there was a reward of one crore Naxalite in Naxalite. Security forces killed Hidma in an encounter in Elluri Sitaram Raju district of Andhra Pradesh on November 18. He was active in Bastar of Chhattisgarh for two and a half decades. He was the mastermind of 26 major attacks.

According to a Delhi Police official, the protesters had gathered near C-Hexagon on Sunday. Due to their demonstration, ambulances and medical personnel were facing difficulty in passing through there. The police tried to remove them turned into a scuffle

Some protesters sprayed policemen with pepper spray. New Delhi Deputy Commissioner Devesh Kumar Mahala told news agency PTI that for the first time protesters used pepper spray on traffic and law and order officials. The injured policemen are undergoing treatment at RML Hospital.

Hidma was killed 12 days before Shah's deadline

Madhavi Hidma was killed in an encounter in the Maredmilli forest on the Chhattisgarh-Andhra Pradesh border. His wife Raje alias Razakka and 4 other Naxalites were also killed along with him.

According to news agency ANI, Home Minister Amit Shah had given a deadline of November 30 to the security forces to end Hirma. After this, a search operation was started in the dense forests of Maredmilli on the border of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. In this operation, Hidma from the deadline Killed 12 days ago.

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Hidma was involved in the 2010 Dantewada attack, in which 76 CRPF jawans were martyred. Apart from this, Hidma also played a role in the 2013 Jhiram Valley attack, 2021 Sukma-Bijapur attack.

In the Delhi blast case, the NIA presented Dr. Muzammil, Dr. Shaheen Saeed, Dr. Adil Ahmed, and Mufti Irfan Ahmed before the Patiala House Court. The court remanded all four accused to NIA custody for 10 days.

The NIA had arrested a total of six accused in this case. However, they were previously in the custody of police in other states, including Jammu and Kashmir. The NIA has now taken the accused into its custody.

Meanwhile, the State Investigation Agency (SIA) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police raided the Jammu office of the Kashmir Times newspaper on Thursday, recovering AK rifle cartridges, pistol rounds, and hand grenade pins. This action was taken on charges of the publication promoting anti-national activities.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has tightened its grip on Faridabad's Al-Falah University, which was a "safe haven" for terrorist doctors. On Wednesday, the ED presented the university's chairman, Jawad, before the Saket Court. After hearing arguments, the court handed Jawad over to the ED on 13-day remand.

According to the ED, Siddiqui's family is settled in Gulf countries. He was also preparing to flee abroad. If he had not been arrested, he could have escaped investigation and destroyed evidence.

Meanwhile, Jawad's house in Mhow has been declared illegal. A three-day ultimatum has been issued. After that, the Cantonment Board will take strict action to demolish it.

On the other hand, 10 people working or studying at Al-Falah University are missing. They cannot be contacted. Among them, 3 are Kashmiris. Their phones are switched off. Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana police are engaged in searching for them.

Javed, along with his brother, also defrauded Bhopal gas victims of ₹2 crore.
Jawad Siddiqui, owner of Al-Falah University, which sheltered the Delhi blast terrorists, and his brother defrauded Bhopal gas victims and the general public of over ₹2 crore through a chit fund scheme between 1997 and 2001. Several FIRs have been filed against them across India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Surat, Gujarat on Saturday. He visited the country's first bullet train station, located in the Antroli area. During this visit, the Prime Minister sat in a track machine and inspected the entire corridor. He stayed there for 35 minutes and spoke with officials and employees involved in the project.

NHSRCL released photos today

During this visit, PM Modi told officials, "Record every experience with the feeling that I am working for my country. I am giving something new to the country. This will be very useful for the coming generations." The National High Speed ​​Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has now released official photos and information from this visit.

508 km corridor, approximately 378 km of pillars completed

In 2015, PM Modi announced the bullet train service from Ahmedabad to Mumbai. The foundation stone for this project was laid on September 14, 2017. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed ​​Rail Project is 508 km long. According to NHSRCL, 378 kilometers of pier work has been completed on the corridor so far. For the entire project, 75% of the work has been completed. A total of 24 bridges are to be built over rivers under the project.

Of these, 14 smaller bridges are ready. The longest 1.4-kilometer bridge, being built over the Narmada River, is also in the final stages. If everything goes according to plan, the first bullet train trial could take place by the end of 2026. For the first time, an earthquake warning system is also being installed on the bullet train.

Work in Gujarat is in its final phase

Bullet train construction in the Gujarat section is progressing at a faster pace than in Maharashtra. The 348-kilometer corridor is in its final phase. Construction on the 4.3-kilometer section in Dadra and Nagar Haveli is also nearing completion.

So far, 272 kilometers of viaducts, or elevated sections, have been completed in Gujarat. Fourteen of the 24 bridges have been completed. Bridges over the Kim, Par, and Purna rivers are ready. Work is underway on the Tapi and Mahi rivers. The state's only 350-meter-long tunnel has also been completed.

Work on the track system is progressing rapidly. Track laying has begun between Surat and Bilimora. 25-meter-long rails imported from Japan are being welded together using flash butt welding machines to form 200-meter-long rail panels. So far, 298 panels have been welded, equivalent to approximately 60 km of track. These panels are being fixed to the track slabs using rail feeder cars.

Three more NRIs (residents of Assam) who were present at the scene of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg's death arrived in Assam on Monday. The police had sent them a second notice. The CID branch has begun questioning them.

CID Special Director General Munna Prasad Gupta stated that Jiolangsat Narzari, Parikshit Sharma, and Siddharth Bora arrived at CID headquarters in the morning, while another NRI, Bhaskar Jyoti Dutta, is expected to arrive by evening.

Meanwhile, the police have invited members of civil society to discuss Zubeen's postmortem and viscera report at 4 pm on Tuesday. The police stated that they will not make the postmortem report public; it will be discussed only with select individuals. However, the police did not disclose the names of those invited.

Singer Zubeen drowned in the sea while scuba diving in Singapore on September 19th. Zubeen was on a boat with a total of 17 people at the time. Seven arrests have been made in this case so far.

These include Zubeen's cousin DSP Sandipan Garg, manager Siddharth Sharma, co-singer Amritprabha Mahant, North East India Festival organizer Shyamkanu Mahant, and the band's drum master Shekhar Jyoti Goswami.

SIT Registers More Than 60 FIRs So Far

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) stated that more than 60 FIRs have been filed against 10 people in the state in connection with Zubeen's death. Special DGP Gupta stated that the postmortem report conducted in Singapore will be given to the family as per protocol. The Singapore investigation team also conducted the work and contacted the family. The report of the second postmortem conducted in Guwahati has not yet been released.

The viscera sample has been sent to the Central Forensic Lab in Delhi for detailed examination. Gupta stated that the postmortem report will be prepared and available to them once the viscera report is received. Viscera samples are collected from internal organs, such as the intestines, liver, and kidneys, during a postmortem to determine the actual cause of death.

The police officer stated that they had found some evidence against the accused, making their arrest necessary for further investigation. According to SIT sources, Goswami was seen swimming very close to Garg in the video, while Amritprabha recorded the entire incident on her mobile phone.

Zubeen sang 38,000 songs.

Zubeen was born on November 18, 1972, in Tinsukia district, Assam. He was a singer, composer, lyricist, actor, and director in the Assamese and Hindi film industries. He sang songs in Assamese, Hindi, Bengali, and English.

The singer sang over 38,000 songs in 40 languages ​​and dialects, including Bishnupriya Manipuri, Adi, Boro, English, Goalpariya, Kannada, Karbi, Khasi, Malayalam, Marathi, Mising, Nepali, Oriya, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Tiwa. Zubeen was Assam's highest-paid singer.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on the festive season, self-reliant India, and vocal for local in the 126th episode of his radio show "Mann Ki Baat" on Sunday. The PM said, "This time, buy only indigenous products during the festivals. Resolve, forever, to buy only what is produced in the country."

The PM also spoke on Dussehra and Chhath festivals. Modi said, "The Indian government is working to include Chhath festival in the UNESCO list. After this, the grandeur of the festival will spread throughout the world."

The program began with a tribute to Bhagat Singh and Lata Mangeshkar.
The PM said, "Today is Lata Mangeshkar's birth anniversary. Anyone interested in Indian culture and music cannot help but be moved by her songs. Her songs have everything that stirs human emotions. Sudhir Phadke, the great figure of Marathi light music, first introduced me to Lata Didi." I told Lata Didi that I really like your song, "Jyoti Kalash Chhalke."

The immortal martyr Bhagat Singh is an inspiration for every Indian, especially the youth of the country. Fearlessness was deeply ingrained in his nature. Before being hanged for the country, Bhagat Singh wrote a letter to the British, saying, "I want you to treat me and my comrades like prisoners of war. Therefore, our lives should be taken not by hanging but by shooting." This is a testament to his indomitable courage.

PM's address, 5 key points...

On Vocal for Local
If we resolve to celebrate festivals this year with only indigenous products, you will see the joy of our celebrations increase exponentially. Make 'Vocal for Local' your shopping mantra. Resolve, forever, to buy only what is produced in the country. We will take home only what is made by the people of the country. We will use only products that have the hard work of a citizen of the country.

On Chhath Festival
Our festivals and celebrations keep India's culture alive. Chhath Puja is a sacred festival that comes after Diwali. This grand festival dedicated to the Sun God is very special. During this festival, we offer prayers to the setting sun and worship him. Chhath is not only celebrated in different parts of the country, but its splendor is seen all over the world. Today, it is becoming a global festival. I am very happy to inform you that the Government of India is also making a major effort to celebrate Chhath Puja.

On Gandhi Jayanti
October 2nd is Gandhi Jayanti. Gandhiji always emphasized the adoption of Swadeshi, and Khadi was foremost among them. Unfortunately, after independence, Khadi's charm was fading, but in the last 11 years, people's attraction towards Khadi has increased significantly. Khadi sales have seen a surge in the last few years. I urge all of you to buy some Khadi product on October 2nd. Proudly declare that it is Swadeshi. Share it on social media with Vocal for Local.

About RSS
This Vijayadashami is very special for another reason. It marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). This journey of a century is as remarkable, unprecedented, and inspiring as it is remarkable. When the RSS was founded 100 years ago, the country had been bound in the chains of slavery for centuries. This centuries-long slavery had deeply hurt our self-respect and self-confidence. The world's oldest civilization was facing an identity crisis. Our citizens were becoming victims of an inferiority complex.

About Clean India
During festivals, we all engage in cleaning our homes. But cleanliness shouldn't be limited to the four walls of our homes. Cleanliness should become our responsibility everywhere: streets, neighborhoods, markets, and villages. Friends, this entire time is a time of celebration here, and Diwali becomes a grand celebration. I wish you all a very happy Diwali.

Mention of these people in Mann Ki Baat

Lieutenant Commanders Dilna and Rupa
Two brave officers of the Indian Navy demonstrated courage and determination during the Navika Sagar Parikrama. Lieutenant Commanders Dilna and Rupa traveled 50,000 km in a rowboat for eight months continuously. The PM spoke with both of them over the phone. During this time, the women officers discussed the challenges they faced during the journey.

Ashish Satyavrat Sahu
Ashish Satyavrat Sahu of Jharkhand has brought tribal weaving and clothing to the global stage through the Johragram brand. Thanks to his efforts, people in other countries have also become aware of Jharkhand's cultural heritage.

Ashok Jagadeeshan-Prem Selvaraj
Ashok Jagadeeshan and Prem Selvaraj of Tamil Nadu left their corporate jobs and took up a new initiative. They made yoga mats from grass and banana fibre, dyed clothes with herbal dyes, and provided employment to 200 families by training them.