Naidu Slams Rahul Gandhi Over ‘Monopoly’ Claim as IndiGo Disruptions Continue

New Delhi, Dec 2025 : Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Sunday hit back at Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for alleging that the Centre’s aviation policies had promoted a “monopoly model” in the sector, which he claimed was responsible for IndiGo’s large-scale flight cancellations and delays. Naidu urged Gandhi to avoid politicising the issue, stressing that the government’s focus has always been on strengthening competition in the aviation industry.

Rahul Gandhi, in a post on social media platform X on Friday, described the ongoing IndiGo crisis as a consequence of what he termed the government’s “monopoly model”. He pointed out that the country’s largest airline had cancelled hundreds of flights for the fourth consecutive day, causing widespread inconvenience to passengers across the country.

Responding to the criticism, Naidu told IANS that aviation was a public service sector and should not be dragged into political debates. “He should understand that this is not a political issue, but a matter concerning the public. The government has always worked towards increasing competition in the aviation sector. The industry benefits only when there is maximum competition,” the minister said.

Explaining the Centre’s approach, Naidu said competition is being promoted by encouraging new airlines to enter the market, expanding the fleet size, and reducing aircraft leasing costs. “We have even passed legislation in Parliament to bring down leasing costs so that more aircraft can be introduced into the system. This is a clear demonstration that the government welcomes new players in a sector witnessing strong demand,” he added.

Gandhi, however, maintained that passengers were paying the price for what he described as policy failures. “IndiGo fiasco is the cost of this government’s monopoly model. Once again, it’s ordinary Indians who pay the price—in delays, cancellations and total helplessness. India deserves fair competition in every sector, not match-fixing monopolies,” he wrote.

Over the past several days, hundreds of IndiGo flights have been cancelled at major airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Jaipur and Bhopal. The disruptions reportedly followed the airline’s failure to realign its crew roster planning in line with newly introduced government norms. As a result, thousands of passengers were left stranded across the country, triggering massive public outrage.

Naidu assured that the government has already put in place measures to ensure that passengers are not further inconvenienced. He also stated that a detailed investigation is underway, and strict action will be taken against IndiGo if any violations are found.

In addition, the Civil Aviation Ministry has imposed a nationwide cap on domestic airfares to prevent a sharp and sudden surge in ticket prices following the disruptions. The minister directed IndiGo to process all pending refunds by 8 p.m. on Sunday, and to clear all baggage-related claims within the next 48 hours.

The crisis has reignited debate over competition, regulation, and accountability in India’s fast-growing aviation sector.