Tharoor vs Scindia: War of Words Continues Over Flights Chaos

As the verbal exchange between senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia regarding flight delays and cancellations at Delhi airport persisted, Tharoor responded on Thursday, asserting that he doesn't require a sophisticated thesaurus to counter Scindia. Tharoor further accused Scindia of adopting the "Modi Government's indifferent approach to the public" since his switch in allegiance.

Scindia, who left the Congress in 2020 to join the BJP, responded to Tharoor's recent posts highlighting flyers' issues, such as flight delays and airline lapses. Referring to Tharoor as an "armchair critic," Scindia criticized him for sharing "selective" news articles, dismissing it as not constituting proper research.

He presented data to illustrate the progress in the aviation sector under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a follow-up response, Tharoor reiterated this morning that while he acknowledges growth, he is emphasising "evident shortcomings" in the government's planning and its failure to address foreseeable problems proactively.

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Taking a swipe at Scindia's switch to the BJP, he remarked, "My dear @JM_Scindia, it's a pity that since switching sides, you have adopted the Modi Government's uncaring attitude towards the public. As @RahulGandhi said during the #BharatJodoNyayYatra, it's clear the suffering of the people is not the suffering of this Government."

6/6 My dear @JM_Scindia, it's a pity that since switching sides you have adopted the Modi Government’s uncaring attitude to the public. As @RahulGandhi said during the #BharatJodoNyayYatra, it's clear the suffering of the people is not the suffering of this Government. Crores… https://t.co/AoJsUDEG1Hpic.twitter.com/2702g5lEGx

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 18, 2024

"Crores worth of economic value lost, lakhs of lives disrupted, and thousands of people unable to go about their daily lives during this festive season - and all the Hon Minister can do is to engage in name-calling," Tharoor added. He emphasized that he is not denying "some growth" and blamed the government for the dense fog conditions that paralyzed flight services, especially in North India.

"I am pointing out that there are a number of evident shortcomings in the Govt's planning & its failure to take pro-active action on problems that could easily have been anticipated," he said.

Responding to the minister's armchair jibe, he said, "The Hon Minister would be better served by shifting his focus from my armchair and my diligent researchers to the agony of the passengers. Perhaps, then he would find time to fix the myriad incompetencies, absolute lack of preparation, and the glaring loopholes in his Ministry's functioning."

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Earlier, Tharoor had questioned why Delhi airport was not prepared well in advance for predictable foggy conditions in winter. In response, Scindia cited how pollution control exercises had delayed work and also mentioned corrective actions are being taken for any laxity on the part of airlines.

Air travel services and airline companies have been making headlines for unfavourable reasons in recent weeks. Not only have there been numerous daily cancellations and delays of hundreds of flights, but shortcomings in timely and transparent communication with passengers, along with other service issues, have also been highlighted.

In a specific instance, an Air India flight experienced a 17-hour delay, with passengers resorting to having their meals on the tarmac. Another shocking incident involved a passenger being locked in the restroom of a SpiceJet aircraft for the entire duration of a Mumbai-Bengaluru flight. Some situations escalated due to passengers' growing frustration over delays, resulting in regrettable incidents. An IndiGo pilot, announcing a delay, was assaulted by a passenger. On various social media platforms, numerous users, including public figures, have raised concerns about the subpar services provided by airline companies, despite the high costs of tickets.

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