No Privatisation of Air India

June 30, 2017

Press Statement

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

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly opposes the decision of the Modi government to privatise the national carrier, Air India. The Union Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the Niti Ayog and given an in-principle agreement for the disinvestment of Air India and its five subsidiaries.

This decision has been taken at a time when, after prolonged losses since 2008, the airline has started achieving operating profits of Rs. 105 crore for the year 2015-16 and an estimated operating profit of around Rs. 300 crore in 2016-17.

Air India was crippled and burdened with debt due to monumental miscalculation and certain wrong decisions taken by successive governments at the Centre. It is now being made the scapegoat and sought to be privatized.

The privatization of Air India is being made with a bonanza to the perspective private buyer – the write off of the Rs. 30,000 crore debt burden. The privatization of Air India is not for saving public money but for handing over national assets for a song and defrauding the exchequer for the benefit of private companies, both domestic and foreign.

The sale of Air India is part of the overall privatization drive of the Modi government which is against national interest. It must be stopped forthwith.

No to Privatisation of Air India

August 10, 2009

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.