Bank unions Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take over grounded Jet Airways to secure the future of the 22,000-odd employees of the carrier. In a letter to Modi, the All-India Bank Employees Association also said government must ensure that banks are not forced to lend to the crippled airline. After flying for 25 years, Jet Airways Wednesday announced grounding of operations after its lenders declined an interim funding of Rs 400-crore.
“We learn that banks have invited bids to possible investors to take over the airline. If it does not happen, we urge you to take over the airline so that the jobs of these 22,000 employees are safe,” the association said. At the same time the unions opposed any move to force banks to lend more money to the airline. “Everyone is looking at the banks to bail out the airline as though lenders are the owners,” the unions said, also demanded an enquiry into the affairs of Jet.
