NEW DELHI/ISTANBUL: Turkey’s Ilker Ayci said on Tuesday he would not take the role of chief executive of Tata Group’s Air India, days after his appointment sparked opposition in India over his previous political ties.
Tata last month (February 14) announced the appointment of Ayci as chief executive of the former state-run Air India after it bought the debt-laden airline in a $2.4 billion equity and debt deal in January.
But last week, BJP ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) called on the government to block Ayci’s appointment, citing his past political tensions in Turkey and New Delhi.
Ayci is the former chairman of Turkish Airlines and an adviser to Tayyip Erdogan when the Turkish president was mayor of Istanbul in 1994.
Ayci said in a statement that in a recent meeting with Tata chairman N Chandrasekaran, he refused to accept after reading parts of the Indian media trying to “colour my dates with unwanted colours” this post.
“As a business leader who has always prioritized professional creeds…I have come to the conclusion that accepting this position in the shadow of this narrative would not be a viable or honorable decision,” Ayci said.
A spokesman for India’s Tata Corp confirmed the development but gave no further details.
The move is a setback for the Indian company Tata, which must restart its search for a chief executive to turn around the loss-making airline. Despite the airline’s lucrative landing grounds, each new president faces the daunting task of modernizing Air India’s aging fleet and improving its finances and services.
The appointment of a foreigner as CEO of an Air India requires government approval to execute.
A government source told Reuters last week that India was imposing tighter-than-usual controls on Ayci and Air India as security agencies raised concerns about its ties to Turkey.
Complete News Source : NDTV
