INDIA bloc's formula is to give PM's post to alliance parties for one year each, says Modi in K'taka
Davangere, Apr 28: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday claimed that the INDIA bloc has come up with a "formula" whereby the parties in the opposition alliance will get the PM's post for one year each if they come to power. "With such a system, the good of the country cannot be expected," he said at an election rally here, as he urged the people not to waste their vote.
"I have heard that the INDI Alliance has invented a new formula...if the country has to be given into someone's hands, will we think before giving it or not? Will you give it to anyone? We will think whether the person is able to handle the country or not, will the track record be analysed or not?" Modi asked the people.
Questioning the INDIA bloc on which person or leader among them could the people hand over the country's responsibilities to, he asked, "Is there any name? Will you accept without any name, keeping you in the darkness? Will the country accept it?"
He claimed, "So they (INDIA bloc) have come up with a formula, to make everyone happy. If they get the opportunity for five years (to govern), they have told their alliance partners that each one will get one year of prime ministership. This means one year, one PM, next year second, then third, fourth and fifth..."
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Wondering what would happen to the country and the people if this becomes the "situation", the prime minister said: "Do you see the good of the country (happening) with such things? Do you see good in it for you and your children? Will you waste your vote for such a thing? Your vote is precious, please don't waste it even by mistake."
Former chief minister and party candidate from Haveri Basavaraj Bommai and Davangere BJP candidate Gayatri Siddeshwara were among others party leaders present at the rally.
Pointing out that a game of political one-upmanship is on in the Karnataka Congress "between leader one and leader two" (referring to CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar), Modi said they lack vision for the progress of the state.
"Due to its factionalism, nepotism, bad policies, Congress is playing with the future of youth, farmers and common citizens. Look at Karnataka Congress's situation -- 2.5 years he will be there (in CM post), next 2.5 years you come (indicating to the alleged plans for rotation of CM post between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar)," he said.
Targeting the Karnataka Congress government for putting the brakes on the New Education Policy, Modi claimed that they had cancelled it to keep their vote bank happy.
"The biggest loss because of this has happened to the youths...we may have political differences, but none has the right to destroy the future of the people," Modi said.
Karnataka has become the victim of the Congress's governance model under which they made a great sin of indulging in corruption and scams of crores of rupees, he said.
Accusing the Congress of creating a number of fake beneficiaries of government schemes in the name of the downtrodden, and claiming that this was their model of corruption, the PM said, "They have mastery in corruption. Our government has removed about 10 crore such fake beneficiary names and have put a lock on their (Congress) corruption."
The number of fake beneficiaries on paper was more than Karnataka's total population, and the money used to go from the government treasury, he claimed. "They used to usurp thousands of crores of money with the fake names, and this money used to go to Congress's ecosystem," he further claimed.
"Modi by Aadhaar and DBT has put an end to it and the money is now going to genuine beneficiaries," he went on to claim.
Modi also accused the Congress government in Karnataka of diverting Rs 11,000 crore from the SC/ST welfare fund towards their "corruption fund". He also alleged that Congress in Karnataka is distributing OBC reservation to its vote bank for the sake of appeasement.
Claiming that "Modi" is the name of guarantee for security and development in the country, the PM said, "This is Modi, you have seen me for 10 years... For me the security of my countrymen is my utmost priority."
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AI, IndiGo, SpiceJet seek ATF price relief; say airline industry on verge of 'stopping operations'
Mumbai (PTI): Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet have told the government that the country's airline industry is under extreme stress and on the verge of "stopping operations", as they sought revision in ATF pricing and financial support.
The West Asia turmoil has pushed up oil prices, and airspace restrictions have increased airlines' operating costs, especially on long-haul routes. Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) accounts for around 40 per cent of a carrier's operational expenses.
Against this backdrop, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) has written to the civil aviation ministry, seeking steps to extend the same fuel pricing mechanism uniformly across both domestic and international operations as was done in the past with the establishment of the crack band.
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With an unprecedented rise in jet fuel prices and exorbitant crack/differential between crude and ATF, the federation said the operation of airlines is being challenged in totality.
"... any ad hoc pricing (domestic vs international) and/or irrational increase in the price of ATF will result in unsurmountable losses for airlines and will lead to grounding of aircraft, resulting in cancellation of flights," the federation, which represents Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet, said.
"In order to survive, sustain and continue operation, we request your urgent intervention for immediate and meaningful financial support to tide over the current situation," it said in a letter on April 26.
Also, the airlines have sought temporary deferment of excise duty on ATF, which is at 11 per cent.
"With the abnormal increase in ATF prices from the pre-crisis period, adding rupee depreciation to the increased prices, the 11 per cent excise duty also increases manifold for the airlines and adds to the ATF price as a big impact on airlines," they said.
Last month, the government limited the hike in ATF price to Rs 15 per litre for domestic operations, but for international operations, the price rose by Rs 73 per litre.
The airlines said the situation has practically made international operations, along with domestic operations, completely unviable and resulted in significant losses for the aviation sector in April.
Seeking urgent intervention on the current ATF ad hoc pricing, FIA said the current situation is creating a severe imbalance in domestic and international operations and rendering airline networks unviable and unsustainable.
"The airline industry in India is under extreme stress and is on the verge of closing down or of stopping its operations."
The federation has pitched for a transparent pricing framework under the crack band mechanism (USD 12–22/BBL) that was implemented in October 2022, saying there was a fair and reasonable margin for Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).
According to FIA, the country's largest aviation hub Delhi has the second-highest value-added tax (VAT) of 25 per cent on jet fuel, while the highest rate is 29 per cent levied in Tamil Nadu.
"The other major aviation cities, viz. Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Kolkata range between 16 per cent and 20 per cent. These 6 cities cover more than 50 per cent of airlines' operations within India," the federation said.
