"A Flight to Remember": What made DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran's flight to Chennai memorable
Chennai, July 15: So, how does it feel when a fellow Parliamentarian doubles up as your commercial aircraft pilot? Ask Dayanidhi Maran.
"A flight to remember indeed," Maran said, after he travelled in a private aircraft from Delhi, piloted by none other than Rajiv Pratap Rudy, MP, with the face mask initally hiding his identity, before the Captain declared he will fly the DMK MP and others all the way here in the three hour flight on Tuesday.
In a series of tweets and a statement, the Central Chennai MP described how it came as a surprise when Rudy, a former Union Minister, made the revelation.
"So you are traveling in this flight as well, said a person dressed in the Captain's uniform. I could not recognize him with his mask on, although his voice sounded familiar. I nodded my head, still wondering who it could be. He looked at me and his eyes gave away the smile behind the mask," Maran said.
"So you dont recognize me,he exclaimed. I realized then that it was none other than my colleague, senior Member of Parliament and former Union Minister- my very good friend Thiru @RajivPratapRudy!" Maran added.
He recalled that just two hours from then, the two were part of intense discussions at the Estimates Committee and now "I couldn't believe my eyes, seeing his transformation from a politician to a pilot."
"I was pleasantly surprised and told Rudyji that I couldn't believe that he was going to be the captain flying us from Delhi to Chennai.
He laughed and said "Yes, I noticed that you didn't recognize me. I fly frequently!," Maran said.
He added he was honoured to be flown by his good friend and colleague and recalled that Rudy served as a Minister of State (in the NDA government), when his father, the late Murasoli Maran, was the Union Minister for Commerce.
"A flight to remember indeed! How often does a sitting Member of Parliament captain a commercial flight? I'm sure I will be talking about this for a long time. Thank you Captain @RajivPratapRudy , MP for flying us safely from Delhi to Chennai!" the DMK leader said.
Rudy, Lok Sabha MP from Bihar, responded to Maran in a series of tweets in Tamil and expressed joy and surprise over Maran being a passenger in his piloted craft on Tuesday.
While recalling his days with Murasoli Maran, Rudy also hailed Dayanidhi as a "successful aviation entrepreneur and union minister."
A Flight to remember.
— Dayanidhi Maran தயாநிதி மாறன் (@Dayanidhi_Maran) July 13, 2021
July 13, 2021
I boarded the Indigo flight 6E864 from Delhi to Chennai after attending a meeting of the parliamentary Estimates Committee. I happened to sit in the first row, as the crew declared that the boarding had completed.
1/7 pic.twitter.com/pwfsW39fDC
"So you are traveling in this flight as well!" said a person dressed in the Captain’s uniform. I could not recognize him with his mask on, although his voice sounded familiar. I nodded my head, still wondering who it could be.
— Dayanidhi Maran தயாநிதி மாறன் (@Dayanidhi_Maran) July 13, 2021
2/7
He looked at me and his eyes gave away the smile behind the mask.
— Dayanidhi Maran தயாநிதி மாறன் (@Dayanidhi_Maran) July 13, 2021
“So you don’t recognize me!” he exclaimed.
I realized then that it was none other than my colleague, senior member of parliament and former Union Minister- my very good friend Thiru @RajivPratapRudy !
3/7
Just 2 hours ago, he and I were part of intense discussions at the Estimates Committee and now I couldn't believe my eyes, seeing his transformation from a politician to a pilot.
— Dayanidhi Maran தயாநிதி மாறன் (@Dayanidhi_Maran) July 13, 2021
4/7
I was pleasantly surprised and told Rudyji that I couldn’t believe that he was going to be the captain flying us from Delhi to Chennai. He laughed and said “Yes, I noticed that you didn't recognize me, I fly frequently!"
— Dayanidhi Maran தயாநிதி மாறன் (@Dayanidhi_Maran) July 13, 2021
5/7
I could only say that I was honoured to be flown by my good friend and colleague. Rudyji also served as a Minister of State, when my father was the Union Minister for Commerce.
— Dayanidhi Maran தயாநிதி மாறன் (@Dayanidhi_Maran) July 13, 2021
A flight to remember indeed!
6/7
How often does a sitting Member of Parliament captain a commercial flight? I'm sure I will be talking about this for a long time.
— Dayanidhi Maran தயாநிதி மாறன் (@Dayanidhi_Maran) July 13, 2021
Thank you Captain @RajivPratapRudy , MP for flying us safely from Delhi to Chennai!
7/7
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Karnataka to approach SC seeking permission to continue MGNREGA
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday decided to approach the Supreme Court seeking permission to continue implementation of MGNREGA in the state, contending that the Centre had repealed the rural employment guarantee law without consultation and failed to put in place any alternative mechanism under the VB-G RAM G Act.
Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state would immediately move the apex court seeking permission to prepare and implement the annual action plan for rural employment works, while also challenging what it described as an infringement on the constitutional rights of states.
The parliament passed VB-G RAM G in December that replaces MGNREGA.
Patil explained that the Cabinet decided to approach the court seeking permission for the State Government to prepare an action plan in this regard. Since the Centre’s stand interferes with the constitutional rights of state governments, the Cabinet has also decided to challenge this issue before the appropriate court
“There are two points here. One is that they have come in the way of our constitutional right of providing the right to work. That has been halted, and, therefore, the State Government has decided to approach the Supreme Court. The second point is that the Government of India has not provided any alternative,” the Minister said.
The Central Government has not yet issued a notification to implement the VB-G RAM G Act, nor has it made any alternative arrangements and hence continuing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is unavoidable in the public interest, the Minister said.
“Therefore, in the interest of the public, farmers and agricultural labourers, we must continue MGNREGA. For that purpose, the Cabinet has decided to approach the court seeking permission for the State Government to prepare the action plan for this year,” he added.
The Minister also said the Centre had only permitted continuation of pending and spillover MGNREGA works without releasing grants or announcing a fresh action plan.
“The Centre itself has said that pending, spillover and half-done MGNREGA works can continue. That means MGNREGA is actually still functioning in practice. But there is no new action plan,” he said.
Patil said the state had already passed a resolution on the issue, while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had written to the Prime Minister and the Rural Development Minister had held discussions with Union Ministers.
Replying to questions, the minister said the state would move court “as immediately as possible.”
He clarified that the state was seeking permission to formulate and implement this year’s action plan under the existing framework.
“What we are asking the Supreme Court is to allow us to have the action plan for this year and implement it,” he said.
The Cabinet also held detailed discussions on the final report submitted by the State Education Policy Commission headed by former UGC chairman Professor Sukhadeo Thorat.
Patil said a Cabinet sub-committee would be constituted to examine the report and recommend measures for implementation.
“No decision has been taken yet. The Cabinet sub-committee will recommend what should be accepted and what should be modified,” he said.
He said the report comprised around eight volumes and covered issues relating to financial implications, human resources, curriculum reforms, deemed universities, unitary universities and newly established universities. The Chief Minister has been authorised to constitute the sub-committee.
The Cabinet also approved the Karnataka Motor Transport and Other Related Workers’ Social Security and Welfare Amendment Bill, 2026, transferring welfare administration of transport-related workers from the Labour Department to the Transport Department.
The Cabinet further approved establishment of three new industrial estates in Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Surpur under the Karnataka State Small Industries Development Corporation and Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore.
The Cabinet also approved amendments to Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 2026, providing two per cent reservation in state civil services appointments for sportspersons.
