The Union Government’s decision to award the operation, management and development works of Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to the Adani Group was as per existing rules and through a transparent process, according to V Muraleedharan,  Union Minister of State for External Affairs.

Muraleedharan disclosed that the Kerala Government too was a party to the decision making process which culminated on Wednesday with the awarding of the airport to the Adani Group for a period of 50 years.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written a letter to Prime Ministetr Narendra Modi on Wednesday itself expressing the former’s displeasure over the Centre’s decision. “ In view of the unilateral decision taken by the Union Government without giving any credence to the State Government’s arguments, it will be difficult for us to offer cooperation to the implementation of the decision which is against the wishes of the people of the State,” Vijayan had written in his letter.

But Muraleedharan who spoke to the media on Thursday recounted the details of the procedures which led to the award of the contract to the Adani Group. “The chief minister and his party colleagues charge that the move to award the contract to the private group is an onslaught on the public sector enterprises. But they are silent on the fact that privatisation of major airports in the country began in 2006 itself. In Kerala, there are two airports in which the private companies own 70 per cent shares. How can you describe the handing over of Thiruvananthapuram airport to a private group as an attack on public sector?” asked Muraleedharan.

He said the noise being created by the Chief Minister and the CPI(M) were an attempt to divert the attention from real issues like gold smuggling through diplomatic channel, involvement of the Chief Minister’s Office in corrupt practices and corruption by consensus.