BMS opposes Air India privatisation

NEW DELHI: With the government having decided to divest its stake in Air India, one of its own saffron family members, the RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh ( BMS) has opposed the move and called for other trade unions associated with the national carrier to join hands in protesting and stalling it.

Warning against the government's policy to “sell out public sector enterprises and bail out private sector“ BMS general secretary Vrijesh Upadhyay has asked other employee unions in Air India to support it in its struggle to fight against the disinvestment move.

In a statement, the BMS general secretary has blamed the government for “refusing to help public sector enterprises to survive, while trying to use the same taxpayers' money to revive nationalised banks which have been losing money due to bad debts of private companies.“

At a time when unemployment rates are high and purchasing power low, it is unwise to sell out public sector enterprises which are sustaining the economy in many ways, BMS has pointed out. It reminded the Centre that BMS had organised a countrywide agitation for two days on June 22 and 23, 2017, against the Niti Aayog's suggestions to disinvest public enterprises, hinting at the fact that such protest agitations will happen if government goes ahead with its disinvestment plans.