The Government and the Congress leadership are apparently wary about the Opposition’s campaign against the Jet-Etihad deal.
With the Bharatiya Janata Party equating the deal to the coal scam and reports appearing that the Cabinet was divided on the issue, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a clarification and said there was “absolutely no disagreement” within the Government or between the Ministers and the Prime Minister on the matter.
The CPI(M), CPI, BJP, Janata Party and the Trinamool Congress had opposed the deal citing reasons ranging from the interests of public sector to the security aspect.
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, who also heads the Standing Committee of Parliament on civil aviation, and BJP leader Jaswant Singh had taken up the issue with the Prime Minister. Several other MPs had also written to the Prime Minister.
The BJP, meanwhile, has stepped up its protest against the deal. The party’s General Secretary Shahnawaz Hussain compared the deal with the coal scam.
“It seems now there is something wrong in this deal as well. We are not against FDI in aviation, but if there is a scam in FDI, we will oppose it,” he said. He said the Prime Minister should clarify his position as the Civil Aviation Minister was pointing towards the PMO and Cabinet.
The Left parties have decided to raise the matter in Parliament.