On Privatisation of Indian Airlines

Date: 
Tuesday, May 11, 1999

Press Statement
Privatisation of Indian Airlines

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 Economic Affairs to offer shares of the Indian Airlines to the tune of Rs 325 crores to the private sector both Indian and foreign.

Taking a major decision of this type by a caretaker government is totally unwarranted and the BJP is misusing its position to please the IMF and the World Bank and hurriedly going ahead with the privatisation proposals.

The proposal of the government will make it a minority shareholder in the Indian Airlines and the private sector will practically control the operations of the major national carrier.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) appeals to all political parties to protest against such major decisions being taken by a government which has lost the confidence of parliament. The Polit Bureau requests the President of India to intervene to stop the Vajpayee government from taking major policy decisions of this nature.