No to Privatisation of Air India

Date: 
Thursday, July 5, 2001

Press Statement

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Disinvestment to approve the strategic sale of Air India, India's national flag carrier to a single bidder, at a throwaway price. The Government's appointment of a foreign company to decide the valuation of the assets, clearly shows the thinking of the government in the matter.

The government has gone into the security aspect in the most casual manner, which will allow foreign companies to enter Air India in a clandestine manner.

The hasty decision taken by the government merely three weeks before the commencement of the monsoon session of parliament and without formally discussing in the meeting of the Standing Committee on Civil Aviation, only underlines the dubious aspect of this sale.

The CPI(M) urges upon the government of India not to go ahead with the privatisation of Air India and consult the opposition parties in parliament before taking a final decision in the matter.