New aviation bill passed after heated debate over Hindi title

NEW DELHI: Parliament on Thursday passed the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024 — a bill that replaces the Aircraft Act, 1934 — to improve ease of doing business in the fast-growing aviation sector.

The bill was passed by voice vote in Rajya Sabha on Thursday. It was approved by Lok Sabha in the previous session in Aug.
The debate on the bill in RS saw the name of the legislation in Hindi become a point of heated discussion with members of certain opposition parties objecting to it. BJP netas refuted the charge, alleging that the reaction of the opposition members reflects their “colonial mindset”.

YSRCP’s S Niranjan Reddy asked govt to reconsider the nomenclature of the bill and said he was saying so not because he is opposing “Hindi imposition” but because there is a constitutional requirement. CPI’s Sandosh Kumar P also demanded that the title of the bill be amended, claiming that it is in contravention of the Constitution. TMC’s Sagarika Ghose and DMK’s Kanimozhi NVN Somu also opposed the bill’s name.

Replying to the debate, civil aviation minister K Rammohan Naidu said there was no violation of any Constitutional rule in the change in title of the bill from English to Hindi. He added that it was done to “showcase India’s heritage and culture”.
Responding to concerns of some MPs over skyrocketing airfares, Naidu said, “Through the Udan scheme, we have kind of addressed the accessibility. We are now addressing the affordability factor.” He said under the scheme, 609 routes were started in eight years.
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