INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
RSS has called on the Centre to block the appointment of Ilker Ayci as Air India CEO.New Delhi/Istanbul: Turkey's Ilker Ayci said on
Tuesday he will not take on the role of chief executive of Tata Group's Air India, days after the announcement of his appointment led to
opposition in India over his previous political links.Tata last month (on February 14) announced Ayci's appointment as CEO of previously
state-run Air India after taking over the debt-laden airline in January in a $2.4 billion equity and debt deal.But last week, the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of BJP, called on the government to block Ayci's appointment citing his previous political
links in Turkey, which has strained relations with New Delhi.Ayci, a former chairman of Turkish Airlines, was an adviser in 1994 to Tayyip
Erdogan when the Turkish president was mayor of Istanbul.Ayci said in a statement that in a recent meeting with Tata Chairman N
Chandrasekaran he declined to take the post after reading about attempts "to colour my appointment with undesirable colours" in some
sections of the Indian media."As a business leader who has always prioritised professional credo ..
I have come to the conclusion that it would not be a feasible or an honorable decision to accept the position in the shadow of such
narrative," Ayci said.A spokesperson for India's Tata confirmed the development, without sharing further details.The move comes as a
setback for India's Tata, which will need to restart the search for a CEO to turn around the loss-making carrier
While the airline has lucrative landing slots, any new chief faces an uphill task to upgrade Air India's aging fleet and turn around its
financials and service levels.The appointment of a foreign national as CEO of an airline in India requires government clearance before it
can proceed.A government source told Reuters last week that India is conducting more stringent than usual checks in the case of Ayci and Air
India, because security agencies have flagged concerns about his links in Turkey.
