Civil aviation authorities direct Turkish Airlines to ensure compliance with ICAO, DGCA standards
Mumbai, Jun 4 (PTI): Civil aviation authorities have directed Turkish Airlines to ensure "full compliance" with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards and DGCA regulations, an official statement said on Wednesday.
The directives come following a safety oversight and ramp (SOFA/RAMP) inspection of the Turkish Airlines' passenger and cargo flights in Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), according to the statement issued by Ministry of Civil Aviation.
The inspection was conducted from May 29 to June 2, in accordance with Article 16 of the Convention on ICAO International Civil Aviation, it stated, adding that the move was aimed at ensuring compliance with both international and national safety regulations.
"Turkish Airlines has been directed to address these findings promptly and ensure full compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices as well as DGCA regulations," the release said.
Turkiye had taken Pakistan's side during Operation Sindoor, which came in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians, most of them tourists, were killed.
Subsequently, the Centre revoked security clearance for a Turkish firm -- "Celebi Aviation" -- that took care of operations at nine key Indian airports, including Delhi, citing national security concerns.
Last month, the government asked IndiGo to end its aircraft lease agreement with Turkish Airlines within three months, sending out a big message to the Turkiye government.
During the inspection, it was found that the marshaller handling ground operations at Bengaluru airport "lacked authorisation and a valid competency card for marshalling functions", according to the statement.
Moreover, during the arrival of the aircraft, the aircraft maintenance engineer was unavailable, and the arrival procedure was carried out by a technician instead, the release said, adding that Airworks is the authorised engineering service provider for Turkish Airlines.
It noted that the cargo contained dangerous goods, for which permission is required from the DGCA for carrying explosives to/from/over India. However, no such permission was found attached, nor it was mentioned in the Dangerous Goods Declaration, as per the statement.
The inspection, as per the release, also revealed that no Service Level Agreement (SLA) was in place between Turkish Airlines and its Ground Handling Agent (GHA).
"Equipment such as ladders, step ladders, trolleys, and ground power units lacked proper accountability and monitoring at Hyderabad and Bengaluru, where Globe Ground India was providing ground services without formal handover from Celebi," the release stated.
Stating that the DGCA emphasises its "unwavering commitment" to ensuring the safety and regulatory compliance of all foreign operators within Indian airspace, the release said, "further follow-up inspections will be conducted as necessary to ensure continuous safety oversight".
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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
