RSS-affiliate SJM expresses reservation over Tata choose for Air India

RSS affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch has expressed its reservations concerning the Tata Group appointing former Turkish Airlines chairman Ilker Ayci as Air India’s Managing Director and CEO.

“The Aviation Industry cannot be equated with a chips manufacturer. This is a matter of National Security. We must be very careful. His links with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the current President of Turkey, is a matter of concern and must be thoroughly checked before arriving at a decision,” SJM convenor Ashwini Mahajan informed the Indian Express.

Mahajan added that the “controversial” appointment was already being talked about in every single place. “The good thing is the government is already seized of the matter and is doing a thorough scrutiny. I am not saying the Tatas have done this deliberately. It is one of those things that get overlooked,” he stated whilst he underlined the friendship between Erdogan’s Turkey and Pakistan.

He, nevertheless, clarified that the SJM had not made illustration on this regard to the federal government.

The Tata Group appointed Ilker Ayci as Air India’s MD and CEO earlier this month to be efficient on or earlier than April 1. Appointment of international CEOs require clearance from the federal government.

Ilker Ayci was chairman of Turkish Airlines since 2015, and his resignation from the put up was introduced by the airline on January 27 this yr — the identical day Tatas have been handed over Air India by the Centre.

During his skilled profession, Ayci has been an advisor to the then Mayor of Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, within the Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul, the place he took half in quite a lot of improvement initiatives in Turkey’s largest metropolis. Erdoğan is at the moment the President of Turkey.

Under Erdogan, Turkey has been seen to show extra Islamic and grown nearer to Pakistan. Erdogan has prior to now couple of years repeatedly raised the difficulty of Kashmir in his handle to the UN General Assembly. He had additionally raised the Kashmir situation throughout his visits to Pakistan.

During his go to to Pakistan in February, 2020, Erdogan whereas addressing a joint session of Pakistan Parliament expressed concern over the scenario in Jammu and Kashmir (J&Ok) and in contrast the “struggle” of the Kashmiri folks together with his nation’s struggle in opposition to international domination throughout World War I.

Following this, the federal government had summoned Turkey’s then Ambassador Sakir Özkan Torunlar and issued a robust demarche. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had then stated Erdogan’s remarks mirrored “neither an understanding of history nor of the conduct of diplomacy” and would have “strong implications” on India’s ties with Turkey.

In September final yr, Erdogan in his handle to the General Debate, stated, “We maintain our stance in favour of solving the ongoing problem in Kashmir for 74 years, through dialogue between the parties and within the framework of relevant United Nations resolutions.”

In 2020 additionally, Erdogan in his pre-recorded video assertion to the General Debate had made a reference to Jammu and Kashmir.

India at the moment termed it as “completely unacceptable”, saying Turkey ought to be taught to respect the sovereignty of different nations and mirror by itself insurance policies extra deeply.