Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed that government rules and regulations should not cause hardship for Indian citizens, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Wednesday, sharing the PM’s remarks during a meeting of NDA lawmakers on the IndiGo crisis. Rijiju quoted the PM, saying, “Rules and regulations are important, but they should enhance the system, not trouble the public. It is our duty to ensure citizens do not suffer simply because they are Indian.”
The NDA meeting was held ahead of a parliamentary debate on electoral reforms, which is expected to turn contentious amid the Election Commission’s nationwide voter re-verification drive.
Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu confirmed the government will act firmly against IndiGo, which has refunded over ₹830 crore so far and lost around ₹37,000 crore in market value. He said, “IndiGo was responsible for managing crew and rosters. Passengers faced immense difficulties. We will take strict action and set an example for all airlines.”
IndiGo, holding over 60% of India’s domestic aviation market, faced massive flight cancellations after struggling to comply with new rules limiting pilot and crew duty hours and mandating rest periods. Over 4,500 flights were grounded in a week, leaving passengers stranded despite IndiGo offering full refunds, causing delays and processing errors for hundreds of thousands of tickets.
