Hardeep Puri rages at Derek O'Brien for opposing Air India's 'Voluntary Leave Without Pay'

After Trinamool MP Derek O'Brien on Sunday wrote to the Civil Aviation Ministry, urging it to ensure that Air India withdraws its decision to send a section of its employees on leave without pay for up to five years, Union Minister Hardeep Puri replied by questioning the role of O'Brien along with another MP and a "famous" journalist.

'Misleading with a view to sensationalise'

The minister said that facts are being misrepresented to create a sensation. Puri in a tweet said an opposition MP wrote a letter to him describing a 'VOLUNTARY Leave Without Pay Scheme of an airline as inhuman!' He added that the "cause" was also taken up either separately or in pursuance by another MP & a "famous" journalist who have their spouse/partner employed by the airline."

Along with the tweet, the Minister also attached a statement issued by Air India on the related issue in which leave without payment (without pay leave) was described as voluntary.

In another tweet, the Minister said, "It was described as 'Breaking News' by a lazy journalist on what was a dull Sunday morning for her news cycle! Time for them to introspect as to what their motives really are. Facts wrong. And misleading with a view to sensationalise."

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'Could not have been more undemocratic'

Terming it an "inhuman scheme" which is in sharp contrast to the Centre's earlier advisories, the TMC national spokesperson said the government has shown a complete lack of empathy and refusal to acknowledge the selfless service of Air India employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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In the letter, he said that about 150 Air India employees have tested COVID-19 positive so far. "The scheme is in sharp contrast with the central government's earlier advisories directing all states to mandate that employers in all industries, shops and establishments must pay their workers without any deduction during the period of lockdown," he said.

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The leader of the TMC in the Rajya Sabha said that the compulsory leave without pay scheme is unprecedented in the history of public sector undertakings in India. Holding that the process of formulating the scheme "could not have been more undemocratic", he said that "no one was involved to advocate or argue or look out for the employees' interest during its formulation". He wrote that the scheme denies workers their right to life and livelihood and highly arbitrary in the present situation.

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(With agency inputs)