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SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR : Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the reply given by the hon. Minister is very satisfactory. The performance of both Air India and Indian Airlines has been improving and these have started earning profit instead of incurring losses. However whether the hon. Minister can give the rationale behind the proposed disinvestment of both these airlines? You cannot deny it that the Government is not willing to sell these companies for I have, with me, a letter supporting this claim. I know that the opinion of the Cabinet is not in consonance with the opinion of the hon. Minister. The same is the case with hon. Shri Ram Vilas Paswan who had spoken before me. He is willing to undertake reforms and improve the functioning of the department of communication but he is not being given free hand. I would like to know from the hon. Minister as to whether he can give any assurance to the effect that the Government do not intend to undertake the disinvestment of the profit earning Air India and Indian Airlines?

SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR : The ‘Modern Bakery’ was sold when it was earning profits. Now it is incurring losses. Whether the same story will not be repeated in case of Air India and Indian Airlines? Wherever this kind of privatisation has taken place in the world, the private companies have caused the share prices to plummet and hasten the doom of the organisation and ultimately end up buying the remaining shares which were in the hands of the Government? Whether the hon. Minister, Shri Sharad Yadav, will learn any lesson from the disinvestment of ‘Modern Bakery’ and “BALCO”?