New Delhi: In what is being considered as preferential treatment to an airline company operating under the open market, the govt has agreed to finalize a Bailout package for Kingfisher Airline after the company threatened to cancel next years calendar.
Kingfisher airline it must be remembered is under a lot of financial mess. With its head Vijay Mallya and Siddharth Mallya spending all the company’s earnings and more on luxury apartments, islands, cars and a very extravagant lifestyles the ‘king of good times’ is now in troubled waters and faces a debt of Rs 6500 crores.The company blames these losses on the fact that Indian Aviation Industry was not properly regulated and that it was highly taxed. ” Is it our duty to fly loss making routes” was what Vijay Mallya, the owner of IPL and F1 teams, famously tweeted, while on his annual company paid vacation in Saint Tropez, after opposition from all sides regarding a govt bailout.
The government under pressure from all sides had initially refused to bailout the company but now it seems that it has no option but to change its stance, something very often done at the UPA. This after Kingfisher threatened to cancel its calendar for next year if the govt refused to bail the company out. The Kingfisher calendar, which is full of size zero models scantly dresses and shot at exotic locations, has been the source of envy for all individuals. Only the elite and super rich are given one. The list is decided solely by Mr Mallya and getting a calendar is considered an honor anon the elite in the country.
” The government cant afford to not have the calendar published. It will cause riots over the country. Its is the most anticipated calendar of the year for the people of India. Its a matter of public concern.” said Mr Chitambram who tried to defend the government action by stating the unrest it would cause if Kingfisher went ahead with its ‘evil’ plan. The finance Minister too reiterated the Home ministers fears in a rare show of the two ministries seeing eve to eve. “Look at the women in the pictures. All malnutritioned and soo poor that they cant even afford proper cloths.” added Mr Mukerjee trying to justify his decision of giving the bailout funds out of the NAREGA budget. The opposition has raised its voice over the issue. ” This is unacceptable. We cannot let one man boycott the govt like that ” said Mr Gadkari while at the same time showing the parties full support to Anna Hazare.
The calendar cancellation has also put fear in the minds of many students and youngsters, who may not get the calendar but do manage to sneek a peek at it online. Drunken parties are being arranged over the weekend to extend their contribution towards bailing out Kingfisher.