Delhi HC Terms Centre’s Talk of Aatmanirbhar Bharat Hypocritical, Criticises Change in Eligibility Criteria For Tenders

“What really irks is that if you really want to oust these people (small entities), then say so. Don’t be hypocritical in your speeches. Your political leadership speak of make in India, they speak of atmanirbhar bharat, they speak about encouraging local industry, but your actions don’t match your words. You are being completely hypocritical,” a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rajnish Bhatnagar.

The bench asked Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, appearing for the Centre and Airport Authority of India, to speak to the political leadership that if they want to proceed in this manner then why are they making the speeches on make in India. “Are they (political leadership) even aware of this being done,” the bench asked. “We are saying stop importing from this country or that country and on the other hand we are also failing our own entrepreneurs,” the bench said.

Referring to the tender eligibility criteria like having an annual turnover of over Rs 35 crore and experience of having worked with scheduled airlines, the high court said,”You want big players with big pockets, and maybe foreign tie-ups, to come in”. It also said that the smaller players would have worked at regional airports where flights of scheduled airlines are few or not at all and therefore, their experience of ground handling with non-scheduled or chartered airlines was being ignored.

“if you (Centre and AAI) want to oust them, then say so. Don’t be hypocritical about it. If this is your policy, then have the courage to say so. “Then don’t talk about indigenisation or make in India, provide in India. Don’t talk of all these things,” the bench said and added “we are pained that you are wanting to oust the smaller players”. The high court said if smaller players are not allowed to grow, then there will only be the established bigger players who due to their market dominance would start dictating terms to the government.