BJD Threatens Agitation Against Proposed Biju Patnaik Airport Privatisation
Bhubaneswar, Aug 25: The Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday strongly opposed the proposed move to lease out Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar to a private entity, terming the decision an “attack on Odia Asmita” and warning of a strong agitation if the proposal is not withdrawn.
Addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar, senior BJD general secretary Dr Lekhashree Samantasinghar alleged that the BJP-led government had approved the handing over of the airport to a private entity under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Samantasinghar said the airport, named after legendary Odisha leader Biju Patnaik, is among the country’s major and profitable airports. She claimed that it generates more than Rs 200 crore in annual profit and handles around 50 lakh passengers.
Questioning the need for privatisation, she alleged that instead of investing in the airport’s further development, the government was planning to hand over the public asset to a private company.
The BJD leader accused the BJP government of following a policy of “selling state assets” rather than protecting and developing them. She also alleged that Odisha’s mineral resources had been opened up for private exploitation and that several ports had been handed over to private companies.
Samantasinghar questioned the silence of the Odisha government and asked why Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the BJP MPs from Odisha and the state’s Rajya Sabha members had not opposed the proposed move.
She said several development initiatives had been undertaken at the airport during former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s tenure and claimed that the airport’s value could be around Rs 7,000-8,000 crore. She questioned the rationale behind handing over such a major public asset to a private company for 50 years.
The BJD leader further alleged that privatisation could increase the financial burden on passengers and claimed that the move would benefit the BJP rather than the people of Odisha.
Describing Biju Patnaik International Airport as a symbol of Odisha’s identity, Samantasinghar demanded immediate withdrawal of the proposed privatisation.
She warned that the BJD would launch a strong agitation across the state if the BJP government failed to revoke the decision.
