Plane crash: Congress leader Udit Raj points fingers at DGCA

New Delhi, June 13: Following the devastating crash of Air India Flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, which claimed 241 lives, Congress leader Udit Raj has launched a scathing attack on the aviation safety system in India, claiming that a Director at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) holds a fake degree and that oversight failure led to the tragedy.

Speaking to IANS, Udit Raj said, "DGCA director's degree is fake. Such incidents are bound to happen when people with fake degrees are clearing safety standards. Sikkim University has stated that his degree is forged. A PIL has also been filed in the High Court. When such people sit in key positions in civil aviation, accidents are inevitable."

The Congress leader expressed sorrow for the victims but questioned the government’s response and accountability: "This is an extremely tragic incident. My condolences are with the families of the deceased. But when the Home Minister simply calls it an ‘accident,’ it raises serious concerns. Should we now expect such accidents to become routine? There are ways to prevent them."

He further stated that the government has failed to act despite red flags: "When the civil aviation director, responsible for safety, is sitting with a fake degree and no action is taken, it's obvious why such tragedies occur. Even after a PIL was filed, the official was protected."

Raj also criticised the political double standards, adding: "If the Congress were in power today, the BJP would have demanded the resignation of the Prime Minister himself. At the very least, the Civil Aviation Minister’s resignation would be called for. But we are not politicising this, we stand with the grieving families."

The Air India Dreamliner had taken off from Ahmedabad on June 12 en route to Gatwick, London, but crashed moments later into a residential area, making it one of the worst aviation disasters in recent memory.

In addition to the 241 lives lost in the crash, many people died in the area where the ill-fated plane fell. The government has launched a probe into the tragic incident.

Reader Comments

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Rahul K.

This is absolutely shocking! If the DGCA official's degree is indeed fake, heads must roll. Aviation safety can't be compromised. My heart goes out to all the families affected by this tragedy. 😔 The government must take strict action, not just give condolences.

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Priya M.

While the allegations are serious, is this really the time for political mudslinging? 241 lives lost and our leaders are busy scoring points. First complete the investigation properly, then assign responsibility. The focus should be on supporting victims' families.

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Amit S.

DGCA needs complete overhaul! Just last year there were reports of safety violations going unchecked. Now this tragedy happens. If degree forgery is true, it shows systemic failure. Time for aviation minister to take responsibility - resign or fix this mess!

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Sunita R.

Very sad situation. But I'm not convinced by Udit Raj's statements - where was this concern when Congress was in power? Our aviation safety record was worse then. All parties should work together to improve systems rather than politicize tragedies.

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Vikram J.

Whether the degree is fake or not, the bigger question is - are our aviation safety standards being properly implemented? We need international experts to audit DGCA procedures. After this tragedy, who will feel safe flying Air India? 😟

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.