FIPB clearance to AirAsia proposal invalid: Swamy

Janata Party chief says the clearance directly contravenes the existing policy as per decision of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs

After attacking the Jet-Etihad deal, Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy today trained his guns on the AirAsia proposal to set up an Indian carrier, saying the FIPB clearance to it was "not legally valid".

"It is clearly an attempt to cause a collapse of many of our domestic airlines, creating a systemic risk for financial institutions, loss to public exchequer and a vital gap in the country's infrastructure," he said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Swamy claimed the FIPB decision clearing the AirAsia proposal was "not legally valid with either the requirement/ need of the aviation sector, the recommendations made by various empowered committees, and in fact, directly contravenes the existing policy as per decision of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs".

Terming the proposal as "a gross and blatant fraud", he urged the Prime Minister to "revoke this impugned fraudulent AirAsia deal", warning he would approach the courts through a Public Interest Litigation if no such action was taken.

A few weeks ago, Swamy had written a similar letter on the Jet-Etihad deal demanding a review of government clearance to it.