Ruckus In Parliament Over Vande Mataram, SIR Row; Aviation Minister Faces Heat On IndiGo Meltdown
Winter Session 2025
Both Houses of Parliament saw stormy scenes during the ongoing Winter Session as BJP and Opposition MPs clashed over a special discussion to mark 150 years of Vande Mataram and the demand for an immediate debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Slogans echoed in the Rajya Sabha and Opposition members trooped into the Well, accusing the government of prioritising symbolism over concerns about alleged voter-roll manipulation.
• Government insists on scheduled Vande Mataram debate first, Opposition demands SIR taken up on priority.
• Repeated adjournments as INDIA bloc MPs raise “Stop SIR, stop vote chori” slogans inside and outside Parliament.
Vande Mataram Vs ‘SIR’ Battle
As per the Business Advisory Committee’s programme, the Lok Sabha is holding a full‑length discussion on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, to be followed by a two‑day debate on electoral reforms and the SIR exercise in 12 states and Union Territories. Opposition leaders, led by Mallikarjun Kharge, insist that the revision of electoral rolls is a “democracy issue” that must be taken up before any commemorative motion, charging the Centre with trying to “divert attention” through emotional issues.
Chairpersons in both Houses repeatedly urged MPs to maintain order, while Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju appealed for cooperation, stressing that the government had already agreed to a time-bound discussion on SIR under the broader electoral reforms agenda.
IndiGo Flight Chaos Reaches Lok Sabha
Amid the political slugfest, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu briefed the Lok Sabha on the nationwide disruption triggered by IndiGo’s large‑scale flight cancellations and delays. He said a DGCA inquiry had been ordered into the airline’s crew‑rostering failures, a 5% cut in IndiGo’s approved winter schedule was imposed, temporary fare caps introduced on key routes, and on‑ground monitoring teams deployed at major airports.
- Minister told MPs IndiGo has refunded over ₹800 crore to affected passengers and is returning stranded baggage and arranging accommodation and surface transport where required.
- Naidu warned that “very, very strict action” would be taken to “set an example” for all carriers if any non‑compliance is found, asserting that no airline is “too big to be held accountable”.
With the Winter Session scheduled till December 19 and at least 14 key bills on the government’s agenda, the confrontation over SIR, Vande Mataram and the IndiGo fiasco suggests more high‑voltage political drama in the days ahead.
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