Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu found himself at the center of a social media storm and opposition attacks following a recent crisis involving IndiGo airlines. However, his colleagues from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Parliament came to his defense on Saturday, launching a concerted effort to counter the criticism.
Colleagues Launch Defense in Parliament
Amid intense online trolling targeting the minister and criticism from political rivals, fellow TDP parliamentarians engaged in firefighting to support Naidu. They highlighted the decisive steps he took to manage the situation and his broader vision for the aviation sector.
Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, a colleague in the Union cabinet, stated that Minister Naidu acted firmly in favor of passengers. He emphasized that Naidu established a control room to ensure constant vigilance and initiated a probe to determine the root causes of the crisis. Pemmasani added that the minister is actively engaging with airports and airlines to prioritize the needs of children, mothers, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, turning a moment of disruption into one of reassurance.
Vision to Break Airline Duopoly
Lavu Srikrishna Devarayalu, the TDP parliamentary party leader, took to social media platform X to detail Naidu's actions. In a lengthy post, he explained the minister's efforts to challenge the dominance of major airlines and promote a more competitive market.
Devarayalu stated that Rammohan Naidu has explicitly rejected the duopoly model in Indian aviation. The minister has actively encouraged the growth of even smaller airlines operating just two to three flights. A key initiative in this direction has been the expansion of the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) regional connectivity scheme, which has opened more routes and created survival opportunities for smaller carriers.
The TDP leader further noted that Naidu consistently advocates for more airlines in India, believing increased competition reduces passenger vulnerability. Other significant structural changes championed by the minister include pushing for more Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and collaborating with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to introduce aviation-related courses, aiming to build a larger, skilled workforce for the industry.
Praise Amid Continued Passenger Anger
Byreddy Shabari, another party MP, praised Naidu for handling the challenging situation with "remarkable efficiency and responsibility." She commended his calm, clear, and decisive leadership during a tense period, calling ministers with such a commitment to protecting passenger rights a rarity.
Despite this strong defense from his political allies, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu continued to face the wrath of passengers on social media. Numerous users posted messages criticizing him for what they perceived as an inability to address the IndiGo crisis in a timely and effective manner, highlighting the ongoing public relations challenge for the minister and his ministry.
