“Party will decide the line,” says Avadh Ojha after AAP functionaries halt interview with BBC Hindi
New Delhi: UPSC coach turned politician Avadh Ojha’s interview with BBC News Hindi was abruptly halted on Thursday at the Aam Aadmi party’s office in New Delhi, as reported by Newslaundry.com.
Ojha, known for his decade-long tenure teaching UPSC aspirants in Delhi before transitioning to YouTube coaching, had reportedly been in talks with both the BJP and Congress. However, his decision to join AAP came amid reports that he was denied Lok Sabha tickets by the other parties.
The interview took a sudden turn when BBC reporter Anshul Singh posed a question about Ojha's past public praise for political rivals, including BJP leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, as well as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, notably for his Bharat Jodo Yatra. Singh questioned if Ojha would continue to commend such leaders now that he was a part of AAP.
Ojha began responding, emphasizing that appreciating others reflects a positive mindset. He cited cricketer Sachin Tendulkar’s admiration for Brian Lara as an example of healthy respect across competitive boundaries. However, before Ojha could continue his talk, a voice off-camera came in between, saying, “I had told you not to ask any ulta-seedha (odd) question. Stop this.”
The reporter challenged the individual off camera, asserting that his question was neither objectionable nor unusual. Turning to Ojha, Singh asked, “Sir, have I asked any objectionable question?”
Ojha replied, “Bhaiyya (brother) dekho, I will tell you. The party will decide the line. This is what these people will decide,” before removing his lapel microphone.
In the video uploaded by BBC News Hindi, the description revealed that AAP functionaries had intervened and stopped the interview.
In the interview, Ojha revealed that he joined politics to work for education and uplift the education sector.
“I have been in the coaching field for the last 25 years. I have observed the problems faced by students and the education sector, students are unaware about the crucial role education plays in their lives. Hence if you wish to fulfill your objectives, you should be in an ideology, a party and a government,” he said referring to a scene in the movie three idiots, where Chaturlingam, a studious character in the movie is also stressed about education emphasizing his move to join politics.
He highlighted that his primary ideology is to serve the education sector and that if issues surrounding the education sector are corrected then there is no much need to stress about other issues.
When asked why he chose AAP after reportedly seeking tickets from the BJP and Congress and claims of an offer from the BSP, Ojha explained, “When you choose a party, it’s also about respect. AAP reached out to me, showing respect and asking me to work with them for the betterment of education. That’s why I joined them.”
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Air India resorts to cost-cutting ways amid 'tough times'; layoffs not anticipated
New Delhi/Mumbai (PTI): Hit hard by Pakistan airspace closure and Iran war, Air India has resorted to cost-cutting measures, including holding back annual increments for staff and asking them to cut discretionary spending as well as non-critical expenditures, warning of "tough times".
On Friday, Air India Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director (CEO & MD) Campbell Wilson told the staff it is going to be a "very, very difficult year" if things don't improve on the Middle East front.
A day after the loss-making airline's board discussed various cost-saving steps, Wilson, along with Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Sanjay Sharma and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Ravindra Kumar GP, addressed the employees during a townhall on Friday where the emphasis on the need to keep a close watch on costs.
With higher jet fuel prices due to the West Asia conflict and airspace curbs, the loss-making airline's expenses have spiralled in recent times and against this backdrop, Sharma also told staffers that FY26 has seen a softening in revenue amid heightened external uncertainties.
Calling for a relentless focus on costs in these tough times, Wilson urged employees to suspend discretionary spending, renegotiate rates where feasible, and defer non-critical expenditures.
"There must be a laser-sharp focus on eliminating wastage and leakages," he said.
Stressing the need to tighten the belt for a while, Wilson sounded optimistic that travel demand would rebound and the industry would continue on its upward path.
CHRO Ravindra Kumar told staff that the airline will proceed with variable pay for the last financial year and continue with planned promotions while noting that annual increments will be deferred by at least one quarter.
"We don't anticipate layoffs," he said.
At the airline's board meeting on Thursday, various cost-saving steps, including likely furloughs, were discussed. The Tata Group-owned airline has around 24,000 employees.
Generally, furlough refers to sending staff on unpaid leaves by companies during a tough financial situation.
During the townhall, CFO Sanjay Sharma said while strong revenue growth and fleet expansion drove financial momentum through FY25, FY26 has seen a softening in revenue amid heightened external uncertainties.
Air India has seen around 40 per cent CAGR (Compounded Annual Growth Rate) in revenue between 2022 and 2025, he added.
The airline was acquired by the Tata Group from the government in January 2022.
The Air India CEO mentioned the external challenges being facing the aviation industry as a whole, including the continued closure of Pakistan airspace that is expected to persist for the foreseeable future and geopolitical conflicts leading to disruptions and airspace closures across West Asia.
Wilson, who is set to step down later this year, also flagged a sharp depreciation of the rupee and a 2.5-3 times increase in jet fuel prices, and added that these factors have adversely affected travel sentiment and consumer confidence, as per the sources.
If the Strait of Hormuz opens, oil prices fall and consumer as well as business confidence come back, there is a decent chance of a solid recovery, Wilson said, adding that unless those circumstances happen, it was going to be "a very, very difficult year".
"I feel somewhat responsible that we ended up with probably the biggest surprise of the year in the external environment which was a full-scale war in our neighbouring region in the Gulf. That has had a huge impact on airspace," he said.
For Air India, Wilson said the situation is compounded by the fact that the airline cannot fly over the neighbouring country and has to take a much longer routing for any west-bound destination.
"Every airline is reporting that they are under some sort of financial pressure as a result of higher fuel prices and economic uncertainty. So, it is unfortunately not a great environment to be running an airline," the Air India CEO said.
The Air India Group -- Air India and Air India Express -- is projected to have incurred more than Rs 22,000 crore loss in the financial year ended March 2026.
At the townhall, Wilson also highlighted various initiatives, including completion of the retrofit of its legacy narrow-body aircraft and rapid network optimisation to redeploy capacity more efficiently.
