New Delhi, May 23 (ANI): Striking representatives of the Indian Pilots Guild (IGP) on Wednesday accused the Air India management of being involved in a financial scam worth Rs.4, 324 crore.
IPG spokesman Tauseef Mukadam said that while Air India's mathematics do not add up, Indian Airlines has been in an even worse state, with no proper records or book keeping kept with regards to the leasing of airplanes.
He further said there was under utilization of aircraft due to poor planning, and added that ad hoc decisions were made to introduce aircraft on loss making routes.
Mukadam claimed there was a massive disconnect between what Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh was saying in the Rajya Sabha and what the Air India management was doing on the ground.
"Even while we appreciate the minister's noble statements, another 30 pilots were sacked", said Mukadam.
Singh had earlier in the day said that the striking pilots have refused to talk to them unconditionally, and added that it was difficult to say when the deadlock would end.
"Now, we are planning what to do? It takes little time and whatever action the Air India management can take, they are taking. I cannot say when the impasse would end because they are not willing to talk unconditionally. They (pilots) have conditions, it's an illegal strike," Singh told media here.
Singh further refused to divulge much on the recent report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), which according to a media report, alleges that the federal government had given out land that would fetch them Rs.1. 60 trillion to its private sector partner.
"See, it's a draft report. When they have the final report, it will go to the parliament, and it will go to the Public Accounts Committee. We will fully cooperate in whatever we can do," said Singh.
The ongoing pilots' agitation has resulted in cancellation of several flights of the ailing airline, including many international ones, causing passenger inconvenience and a loss of over Rs.200 crore to the exchequer.
About 500 Air India pilots who fly international routes have been demanding that their colleagues from Indian Airlines should not be trained to fly Dreamliners, as they believe it may hurt the career prospects of original Air India staff.
Both companies were merged in 2007, but there have been problems with the integration since then. A central auditor also criticized Air India's purchase of Dreamliners last year for "imposing an undue long-term financial burden". (ANI)
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