UAE Princess slams Sudarshan TV's Suresh Chavhanke over Tweet on secularism
Says, learn from the religion of peace how to be respectful of others
Dubai: Sheikha Hend bint Faisal Al Qasimi, a princess from the royal family of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), responded strongly to a tweet by Sudarshan TV's Editor-in-chief, Suresh Chavhanke, regarding secularism. Chavhanke claimed that passengers were left waiting outside a bus in the UAE because the Muslim driver was performing prayers.
Chavhanke, known for his far-right extremist ideology, alleged that passengers had to endure the heat while the Muslim driver prayed inside an air-conditioned bus. In response, Sheikha Hend bint Faisal Al Qasimi shared a tweet from the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) that clarified the incident. According to the RTA, the bus was outside its operational hours at the time, and for safety reasons, no one is allowed to enter the bus before or after the scheduled trip.
Sheikha Hend bint Faisal Al Qasimi strongly criticized Chavhanke, emphasizing that the UAE is not a secular country and urged him to have accurate information. She supported the bus driver, stating that he was praying after work hours in a Muslim country that embraces religious tolerance. She further highlighted that the driver was not engaging in harmful actions such as evicting people from their homes or businesses, unlike certain neo-Nazis who continue to perpetrate such acts. She concluded by advising Chavhanke to learn how to respect others who do not share his religion or political beliefs, drawing from the principles of peace in her own faith.
Chavhanke has a history of making Islamophobic remarks, amounting to hate speeches, on his television channel and other public platforms. His inflammatory statements have the potential to incite disharmony and communal tension.
He was praying after work hours in a bus he is responsible for in a Muslim country that is tolerant of other religions. The Emirates is NOT a secular country, just to remind you to get your facts straight. He was not killing and kicking out people from their homes and shops like… pic.twitter.com/Unohz4BWJN
— Hend F Q (@LadyVelvet_HFQ) June 13, 2023
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Regulator DGCA eases flight duty norms for pilots amid IndiGo crisis
Mumbai (PTI): Aviation watchdog DGCA on Friday eased the flight duty norms by allowing substitution of leaves with a weekly rest period amid massive operational disruptions at IndiGo, according to sources.
As per the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, "no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest", which means that weekly rest period and leaves are to be treated separately. The clause was part of efforts to address fatigue issues among the pilots.
Citing IndiGo flight disruptions, sources told PTI that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has decided to withdraw the provision 'no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest' from the FDTL norms.
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"In view of the ongoing operational disruptions and representations received from various airlines regarding the need to ensure continuity and stability of operations, it has been considered necessary to review the said provision," DGCA said in a communication dated December 5.
The gaps in planning ahead of the implementation of the revised FDTL, the second phase of which came into force from November 1, have resulted in crew shortage at IndiGo and is one of the key reasons for the current disruptions.
#BREAKING: #DGCA relaxes a clause which debarred airlines to club leaves with weekly rest to mitigate #IndiGo crisis
— Economic Times (@EconomicTimes) December 5, 2025
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