Robert Vadra’s name may be deleted from the list of passengers who are not to be frisked at airports, according to sources in the Civil Aviation Ministry. Though Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati refused to confirm the report, he said: “Security should be meaningful and not ornamental. It will depend on if the Home Ministry feels there is a threat perception, and I am not talking about Vadra, we’ll have to see.”
On privatisation of the public air carrier, the Minister said that there will be no hasty decision on privatisation of Air India. “There are private airlines and there is a public sector company. Public sector does have a place and a lot of countries have public sector companies. As of now, we are trying to formulate our views,” Pusapati told his maiden Press conference, hours after taking charge of office.
“I am not closed to any idea,” he said when repeatedly asked whether he would favour privatisation of the State-run airline. He parried questions on issues like the rule to allow Indian carriers to fly abroad and FDI cap of 49 per cent in the aviation sector, saying the new ministry would examine them before taking any call.