Problems of AI due to government policies: CPI on sale of national carrier

Criticising the move to privatise Air India, CPI general secretary D Raja on Monday said the national carrier has the potential to emerge as a powerhouse in the aviation sector and alleged that its problems were because of "government policies".

The government on Monday announced sale of 100 per cent stake in the debt-laden Air India as it issued the preliminary bid document for the strategic disinvestment and has set March 17 as the deadline for submitting expression of interest.

"Air India has the potential to emerge as one of the powerhouses of the aviation sector and its problems are due to the government policies. The BJP government wants to privatise all PSUs (public sector undertakings) in the name of private-public partnership and as a result are destroying the fundamentals of our economy," Raja said.

He further said that be it Air India or railways, the government wants to sell all "public properties" for their gains.

"The government has failed to manage the economy and failed Air India," he said.