THE SUNDAY Vol. 37 No. 11 | Sunday, December 7, 2025 27 Pages | `5 & for State `6 | Reg. No. MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 46955/1988 M.p.c.s. office Mumbai-400001 FREE PRESS JOURNAL ARMED FORCES FL AG DAY INDIA EDITION | www.freepressjournal.in ● Leader in E-paper circulation GOOD LIFE Sunday Read With Rajinikanth turning 75 on Dec 12, filmmaker Pankuj Parashar, actor Gulshan Grover, and others reflect on his cinematic grandeur. Fragrance primers are capturing attention. But, do you really need one? MINISTRY MANOEUVRES | Show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers; domestic airfares capped. Refunds ordered by 8 pm tonight. Disruptions continue to persist IndiGo chaos sparks crackdown Dhairya Gajara MUMBAI India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on Saturday issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers over the spiralling flight-disruption crisis that has upended travel plans for thousands of passengers across the country. The watchdog has asked Elbers to explain why punitive action should not be taken against him personally, citing widespread inconvenience and operational failures that brought airports to a standstill. The regulator has warned that an unsatisfactory response could invite a substantial financial penalty on the airline. The DGCA underlined that, as IndiGo’s chief executive, it is his responsibility to ensure operational stability and prevent the sort of large-scale breakdown witnessed over the past several days. IndiGo has been given 24 hours to respond to the notice. A government official told a news agency on Saturday that appropriate action would be taken once the inquiry committee submits its findings on the ongoing disruptions. Earlier on Saturday evening, the massive chaos that had erupted through the week at Indian airports due to IndiGo’s mismanagement eased as when IndiGO operated 1,500 flights. The aviation meltdown, which began on Tuesday after hundreds of scheduled IndiGo flights were delayed owing to a lack of crew, showed slight improvement on Saturday. A French aviation technician stranded in Bengaluru airport snapped after 18 hours of confusion. She climbed onto the IndiGo counter, waving passport, shouting in rapid French, “I will lose my job if I don’t reach Toulouse tonight.” At Kolkata airport, tempers were exploding when an elderly schoolteacher broke into a soft, wavering “Hum Honge Kamyab.” Within minutes, dozens joined in— the stranded, the exhausted, the furious—singing a song of hope no one believed but everyone needed. At Delhi airport, a father pushed through the crowd shouting for medical help. His teenage daughter, pale and bleeding, had been stranded for hours after two cancellations… It took 40 minutes for medical staff to arrive. See Nation 4Contd on | Nation PTI FREE SPEECH CASES FPJ News Service MUMBAI The foundation-stone for a mosque modelled on the Babri structure was laid in Beldanga’s Rejinagar area on Saturday afternoon, drawing thousands of people and creating one of Murshidabad’s largest public gatherings in recent months. Suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir stepped onto the dais shortly before noon, accompanied by local clerics and two invited religious scholars from Saudi Arabia. As the green cloth covering the foundation slab was lifted and Kabir placed his hand upon it, the crowd burst into chants of “Nara-e-Takbeer” and “Allahu Akbar”. Flower petals were thrown in the air, firecrackers were set Former Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Friday cautioned that prolonged criminal proceedings in free speech cases can themselves become a form of punishment, often causing harm that cannot be undone even if the accused is eventually acquitted. Speaking at the Justice KT Desai memorial lecture at the Bombay High Court, he off from the fringes of the ground, and the 25-acre venue briefly dissolved into a wave of sound and movement. The ceremony itself lasted less than an hour, but the spectacle surrounding it was immense. The most striking aspects were the presence of the two Saudi clerics and the elaborate food arrangements that defined the day. Before the stone was unveiled, the clerics recited Arabic prayers and short invocations, translated for the crowd. Their presence had been publicised by the organisers for days, and many attendees said they had come specifically to witness the “international guests”. Police escorted the clerics to and from the dais as a precaution. 4Contd on | Nation said that delays at any stage of investigation, trial or appeal can severely damage a person’s liberty, reputation and ability to express themselves freely. “When cases involving speech offences remain pending for years, whether at the stage of investigation, trial or appeal, the process itself becomes a punishment,” Justice Gavai said. He stressed that such delays could inflict “irreversible damage” on individuals, making the criminal process a threat to fundamental freedoms, Bar & Bench reports. He pointed out that the Supreme Court is increasingly being called upon to handle cases where the initiation of criminal proceedings, denial of bail or prolonged incarceration affects a citizen’s right to free expression. 4Contd on | Nation ANI Aritra Singha KOLKATA FPJ News Service In a courtroom exchange on Friday, the Karnataka High Court said that India, despite accusing other nations of racism and apartheid, is “one of the most racist societies in the world.” Justice MI Arun made the sharp observation while hearing petitions filed by Aaj Tak and anchor Sudhir Chaudhary seeking to quash a 2023 hate-speech case against them over a broadcast on the State’s Swawalambi Sarathi scheme. The judge questioned the State government on whether it could point to any falsehood in the news report that sug- – Donald Trump, accepting the award AP WASHINGTON President Donald Trump was awarded the new FIFA peace prize on Friday at the 2026 World Cup draw, giving the spectacle to set matchups for the quadrennial soccer tournament even more of a Trumpian flair. Trump, who had openly campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize, had been heavily expected to receive the newly created FIFA prize. FIFA president Gianni Infantino, a close ally of Trump, has said he thought Trump should have won the Nobel for his efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza. In awarding the prize, Infantino told Trump it was a “beautiful medal for you that you can wear everywhere you want to go.” Trump quickly took the medal and placed it around his own neck. The certificate that Infantino handed Trump recognises the U.S. president for his actions to “promote peace and unity around the world.” Infantino also presented Trump with a gold trophy with his name on it that de- India clinches the ODI series FPJ News Service MUMBAI tion of society by naming that particular section by way of religion or whatever, then the petition will have to be allowed ... It may be inflammatory, but whether it is the truth or whether it is falsehood. If it is falsehood, (show the court) what is the falsehood,” Justice Arun told the State’s counsel. Riding on Mumbaikar Yashasvi Jaiswal’s stunning maiden ODI century and commanding half-centuries from veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, India steamrolled South Africa by nine wickets in Visakhapatnam on Saturday to seal the three-match ODI series 2-1. The win, emphatic in both scale and style, came as a balm after the team’s recent 02 Test drubbing. Kohli, in the middle of one of his most fluent white-ball spells in recent years, was named Player of the Series for back-to-back hundreds in Ranchi and Raipur. Had the target been larger than 271, he might well have made it three in a row. But India, blessed with a top order in full bloom, wrapped up the chase long before such possibilities were needed. The tone was set by the first-wicket stand between Jaiswal and Sharma, who stitched together 155 runs with a blend of aggression and serenity. The South African pacers were reduced to spectators as the duo unfurled drives, pulls and lofted strokes with alarming ease. 4Contd on | Nation 4Contd on | Nation Remembrance Monks from Arunachal Pradesh pay tribute to Dr. B.R Ambedkar memorial on his 70th death anniversary, observed as Mahaparinirvan Diwas, in Mumbai. See Mumbai K’taka HC: India is one of most racist societies BENGALURU “THE WORLD IS A SAFER PLACE NOW!” SCENES FROM THE PANDEMONIUM Babri replica event Process is punishment: Gavai sparks a frenzy Humayun Kabir (left) waves to the gathering, while laying the foundation stone for a mosque, modelled on Babri Goal! FIFA gifts its 1st, gold plated peace prize to…Trump gested the scheme amounted to appeasement politics by depriving Hindus of incentives. The State’s counsel argued that the channel had “demonised one community” and “incited hatred,” and urged the Court to allow the investigation to continue. Justice Arun, however, made it clear that re- lief would depend entirely on whether the programme contained factual inaccuracies, Bar & Bench reports. “If the news report speaks falsehood, then in that event, the petition is liable to be dismissed. If the news report is an analysis of the policy and while analysing it, if they have said that the policy of the State is such that it appeases one sec- Remove ‘secular’ and Bill to criminalise marital rape introduced ‘socialist’ from Preamble PTI NEW DELHI Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday introduced a private member’s bill in the Lok Sabha to criminalise marital rape, calling it an “urgent necessity” in India’s legal framework and stressing that marriage cannot override a woman’s right to consent. Tharoor said India must uphold its constitutional values and move from “no means no” to “only yes means yes”. In a post on X, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said his bill seeks to amend the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and remove the exception that shields husbands from prosecution for non-consensual sex with their wives. “Marital rape is not about marriage but about vi- olence. The moment for action has arrived,” he said. The statement of objects and reasons of the bill notes that Section 63 of the BNS, 2023, currently excludes marital rape from being punishable, allowing men to have non-consensual sex with their wives if the wife is under 18 years of age. It says this exception is rooted in “patriarchal notions that view wives as property a remnant of colonial-era mindsets”. The bill says this failure leaves married women “legally defenceless”, wrongly suggesting that marriage removes the need for consent and undermines women’s dignity, safety and bodily autonomy. 4Contd on | Nation PTI NEW DELHI The terms 'secular' and 'socialist' are not required in the Preamble of the Constitution, and were added in an "undemocratic" manner during the Emergency, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Bhim Singh said as he introduced a Private Member's Bill in the Upper House to remove these words, He added the words create "confusion", and they were not a part of the original Constitution. Later, he told PTI that the original Constitution adopted in 1949, which has been in force since 1950, did not have these two words. Mrs Indira Gandhi added these two words to the Constitution during the Emergency in 1976, under the 42nd Constitution amendment. At that time, no debate was held in Parliament." "All the opposition leaders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, and George Fernandes, were in jail. Democracy was being murdered, and in that situation, Mrs Indira Gandhi added these two words. So, this is the word that was added later, and the Constitution should remain in its original form," he said. Singh said that the Constituent Assembly had also debated this issue. "The chairman of the Drafting Committee, Dr B R Ambedkar, gave an answer. 4Contd on | Nation Made for each other : Trump beats Nobel Peace Prize winner to receiving “peace prize”. Maria Machado is expected to receive her version, the Nobel Peace Prize, only on December 10. picts hands holding up the world. “You definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize for your action, for what you have obtained in your way,” said Infantino, who spoke after a video was played that showed images of Trump meeting with world leaders from countries whose conflicts he has taken credit for resolving. Trump thanked his family, including his wife, first lady Melania Trump. 4Contd on | Nation FIFA chief Infantino, a frequent visitor to the Oval Office, announced a month ago his organisation would give out a peace prize, catching senior officials off guard. FIFA has given no details about the process for choosing a winner. PUTIN VISIT REPERCUSSIONS How Delhi walked diplomatic tightrope ANI Weekend Revisiting Enid Blyton’s enduring charm & debate on adapting classics Ashwin Ahmad NEW DELHI President Putin’s summit meeting with Prime Minister Modi would have been viewed by many as an unqualified success. However, observers did not fail to notice that both leaders did not elaborate on the issue of Russian oil exports to India. Nor did they elaborate on Russian defence sales, despite the Russian Duma ratifying the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS) agreement a day before the Russian president touched down in New Delhi. This lack of mention has led some to wonder if concerns regarding the US were a common factor for both New Delhi and Moscow. India is in the middle of talks of a free trade deal with the US, and Russia is also in talks with the Americans on ending the Ukraine war. Russia expert Gulshan Sachdeva, professor at the School of International Studies, JNU, and chief coordinator of the Global South Centre of Excellence at RIS, New Delhi, says that oil purchases by India from Russia has actually given a “new momentum” to IndiaRussia ties.   “Except for the mobility issue, which is the new one this time, everything else has been talked about for the last 25 years.”   Asked why both sides avoided any mention of oil, Professor Sachdeva said that New Delhi rather than Moscow may have been hesitant in doing so.  “Russia doesn't care about these things, and that’s why Putin even mentioned that statement that we will continue to supply. 4Contd on | Nation ‘Right to disconnect’ after office hours ANI NEW DELHI Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule on Friday introduced a private member’s Bill seeking to give employees in India the legal right to disconnect from work-related communication after office hours. The Bill, titled “The Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025,” aims to promote a healthier work-life balance and places a penalty of 1 per cent of the total remuneration of employees on any company or society that fails to comply with its provisions. According to the Bill, every employee would have the right to refuse responding to calls, emails or any work-related electronic communication beyond working hours. Sule said the proposal seeks to reduce the “burnout caused by today’s digital culture,” writing on X that the measure is crucial to improving the quality of life for workers. In the statement of objects and reasons, she argued that while digital technology brings flexibility, it also blurs the line between professional and personal time. The Bill notes that employees expected to stay available round the clock face risks of overwork, including sleep deprivation, stress and emotional exhaustion. It highlights “telepressure,” the constant urge to respond to messages, which studies say disrupts work-life balance. 4Contd on | Nation