Congress leader and Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari has sparked a new debate over the ownership and management of Air India by urging the Indian government to take back the airline from the Tata Group. In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter), Tewari criticized the current state of Air India, claiming that the once-iconic national carrier has suffered a major setback under private ownership.
Manish Tewari alleged that individuals with no aviation background are now at the helm of Air India’s operations. In his statement, he referred to Tata Group’s diversified business background and remarked, “Flights are being cancelled without notice, and delays occur with zero explanation. Pilots and crew members are demoralized. Those who grow tea in Tata Tea, make cars in Tata Motors, and produce steel in Tata Steel are now running an airline.”
He further said that despite knowing many skilled professionals over the years, Air India’s current management lacks experienced aviation specialists. “It’s a complete management mess,” he claimed, adding, “Privatisation has proven to be a disaster.”
This call for a government takeover comes more than three years after the Centre sold Air India to the Tata Group in January 2022, following an open and competitive bidding process. The move was intended to offload mounting debt and revitalize the airline through private efficiency. However, Tewari’s recent comments suggest that the privatization experiment has not lived up to expectations—at least from the perspective of some lawmakers and industry observers.
While there has been no immediate response from either the Tata Group or Air India officials, the issue has already begun to gain political traction. Many passengers have voiced similar concerns on social media, complaining about delayed or cancelled flights and poor customer service.
Tewari’s criticism reflects a larger conversation about the quality of service under private management and whether essential public assets like a national airline should remain in private hands. His remarks have reignited a national dialogue around privatization, performance, and accountability in aviation.
As the government continues its push for disinvestment in public sector undertakings, this fresh demand for Air India’s return to state control raises serious questions. Will the government reconsider its decision? Or will it back the Tata Group to revamp the airline in the long term? The coming days will determine whether this is just political rhetoric or the beginning of a larger policy shift in India’s aviation sector.