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Centre attempting to sell AI for a song: Manmohan Singh

Former Union Finance Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday accused the BJP-led government of trying to sell the country's international airline, Air India, "for a song" and going about the divestment of PSUs in a non-transparent manner.

"We have grave doubts that Air India may be sold for a song in a totally non-transparent manner to private entities," the leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha said.

"I think all these bilateral rights (with other foreign airlines) have been disposed of," the Congress Working Committee member said.

"Can you imagine the suspension of the managing director (Michael Mascrenhas) of Air India on the eve of its divestment? " Singh asked.

Congress is not opposed to the divestment policies being pursued by the NDA government but wants 'transparency' and 'objectivity'.

"Utter lack of transparency is the norm now as far as PSU divestment is concerned."

Singh said India should seek amendments in existing agreements, if there are 'gaps' in them interfering with India's national food security system, at the fourth WTO Ministerial Conference, to be held later this year at Doha.

"We should protect the interests of our farmers."

"We (the Congress) had left a booming economy, but now it is in doldrums. Farmers are in distress. Industrial production is going down from bad to worse. There is a crisis of governance on the economic front," he added.

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