Assam's Regional Party Protests Adani Group's Takeover Of Guwahati Airport

The week-long mass signature drive launched by Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) to demand the withdrawal of the decision to hand over Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport of Borjhar to Adani Group came to an end on Saturday.

More than 500 people signed a letter of on the last day of the protest against the government's decision to hand over the airport to a private party.

The program was launched on August 9 by the party at the airport gate of Borjhar.

AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi said this is the beginning of a mass awareness campaign launched by the party.

"The party will continue to protest against the move by the Bharatiya Janata Party government to hand over profitable enterprises of the country to giant private companies. As a next step in forming a public opinion against the decision of handing over the airport, the party will launch an online public signature drive," Mr Gogoi said.

He said the centre has taken the decision to hand over the Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport to Adani Group for 50 years. "From October, the private company will take over the operation, development and management of the airport."

On August 9, the Adani Group took over the charge of supervision of the airport. "Prior to the official assumption of responsibility, the Adani Group had, reportedly, directed the employees working at the airport to vacate their residences and directed the traders to close their shops outside the airport premises," he said.

The Assam Jatiya Parishad has been protesting against the move since the decision was taken over the airport. Earlier, memorandums were sent to the centre and the Airport Authority of India (AAI) requesting them to reverse the decision.

On August 9, outside the airport perimeter, the AJP launched a public signature drive campaign to raise awareness about the issue, but it was postponed that day due to police obstruction.

Permission was later sought under Covid protocols which was denied. While AJP workers started collecting signatures on August 10, the police detained and grilled them till late evening.

Lurinjyoti Gogoi led the program on the last day of the week-long mass signature drive on Saturday. At the signing ceremony, attended by around a 100 leaders and activists, Mr Gogoi said that the airport, named after Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi, was one of the foremost and most profit-making airports of the country. It will not, at any cost, be allowed to be handed over to the private sector, he added.

Mr Gogoi and party general secretary Jagdish Bhuyan said in a separate press statement that the Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport is one of the most profitable airports in the country. A state-of-the-art terminal has already been constructed at the airport at a cost of Rs 1,232 crore.

"The total amount of money has been spent from the government fund. In whose interest is the government now handing over the airport to the Adani group after the airport was constructed at the expense of the government? The government has said it wants to privatize the airport for the benefit of passengers, although high rates will be charged in the name of providing passenger facilities. Therefore, the government's argument is not justifiable," Mr Gogoi said.

The AGP chief said it is also clear that the Adani Group, which has already started preparations for high-rate collection of ground handling and parking at the airport, has completed preparations for "massive looting."

Mr Gogoi and Mr Bhuyan said that supporting the decision over the airport would be an act against the people.