Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha, Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) demanded that the government should take concrete steps to revive the national carrier and stop patronising private players.
In the Rajya Sabha Ram Chandra Khuntia (Cong) said even after a big financial package was given to Air India, salaries of pilots and other staff were not paid and passengers were facing serious problems.
"Step by step, Air India is being destroyed. I urge the government to call the pilots and deal with their demands... Air India is sought to be destroyed. Salaries have not been paid for months," Dasgupta said during Zero Hour.
Dasgupta said the government first merged Air India and Indian Airlines and is now going to split the two. "This is a wonderful change of policy by the government," he said sarcastically.
He alleged that instead of protecting Air India, private players were being given patronage. "There should be a concrete revival plan for Air India," he said.
CPI-M leader Basudeb Acharia asked Aviation Minister Ajit Singh, who was present in the House, to respond to these demands.
In the Upper House, Khuntia said frequent strikes were creating a bad atmosphere and sending wrong signals to the international community about the national carrier.
He said, "the tax payer's money is given to run Air India ...The HR department of Air India has failed to resolve the situation" and pilots have resorted to a strike.
"Derecognition of the Union and suspension of pilots is not a permanent solution. A long term settlement of the issue must be done," he said, questioning whether the strike was due to the fault of the pilots or the HR department of Air India.
The issue brought various members from the Left and BJP on their feet.
