Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Tapan Kumar Sen (CPI-M) said the move is "anti-national" as it involves the key issue of security at airports that cannot be compromised.
Instead of handing over airports to private hands under Public Private Partnership mode, he sought strengthening of public-sector Airport Authority of India (AAI) to help further develop domestic airports. "It is better to give sufficient autonomy to AAI," he said.
Sen said of the total 15 airports, only those which are fully developed and have good commercial traffic are being handed over to private players. He named the airports at Kolkata, Lucknow, Chennai and some others in this regard.
"The move is to help private sector earn windfall profits without making any investment," he said, adding the reason given for improving managements of these airports it "most ridiculous".
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"Is that a way to fritter public wealth in the name of reforms," he questioned.
Supporting the demand, Naresh Agrawal (SP) said, "We oppose such a move.