Why are the Left parties and AAI employees protesting against the modernisation of Mumbai and Delhi airports?
We are not protesting against the modernisation of these airports. We believe that all the airports in the country, especially the biggest ones like the Mumbai and Delhi airports, should be modernised and made world-class. But in the name of modernisation, what the government has done is virtually sell the airports to a couple of consortia. We are all for modernisation of airports; but we are dead against their privatisation. But the government says the two companies that have won the bids have been chosen out of bidders and they have been selected based on their technical prowess. And only technically competent companies can build world-class airports. Who said only private companies can build world-class airports? That is a false notion that the Manmohan Singh government is spreading. Look at the major world-class airports in Asia. Look at the airports at Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and elsewhere. All of them are most modern, world-class airports built by either the government
