February 2, 2006 

Press Statement 

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India, the Revolutionary Socialist Party and the Forward Bloc have issued the following statement: 

Airport Strike: Call Employees For Talks

The Left parties extend their support to the strike by the airport employees. The employees have launched this protest action against the UPA government’s decision to privatize the Mumbai and Delhi airports in the name of modernization.

The Left parties have from the outset been advocating that modernization of these two airports should be done by the Airports Authority of India which has a reserve of Rs. 3000 crore and is fully competent to undertake the modernization process.

The Left parties demand that the government immediately call the representatives of the joint forum of the AAI employees and officers for talks. The government should take up the alternative proposal of the AAI for the modernization of the two airports.

The Left parties urge the government to take this step without delay. It calls upon all democratic parties, organisations and all sections of the people to extend their support to the just cause of the airport employees.