Centre treating Adani and Kerala govt same: CPM MP

The decision to hand over six airports to Adani Group came in for criticism in Rajya Sabha on Monday with a CPI(M) MP accusing the Centre of treating the business group and Kerala government on the same footing as it asked the latter to bid for Thiruvananthapuram facility.

Kerala MP KK Ragesh raised the issue during Zero Hour while opposing the government move privatise airports in Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Lucknow and wanted the government to reverse its stand on "national wealth".

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Adani had won the bids to run these airports in February pipping prominent players like GMR Group, which runs the Delhi airport among others.

Ragesh said the government has moved forward despite opposition from Airports Authority of India (AAI), employees and state governments.

"Immediately after the Centre announced the plans, Kerala government expressed willingness to take over Thiruvananthapuram airport. Unfortunately, the Centre advised the Kerala government to take part in the bidding. The Centre is treating State of Kerala and Adani on the same footing," Ragesh said.

He said the airport was built on the land provided by the state government. During his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, Kerala Chief Minister raised the issue and once again expressed Kerala's willingness to develop the airport into a world-class facility.

"The Centre should immediately intervene. Why is the government so keen on giving these airports to Adani?" he said.

Ragesh also said he did not comprehend the logic behind privatising a profit-making airport.

"There are a lot of agitations. The Centre should understand the wrath of people against this move," he added.