Thousands of employees working at six airports leased out by the government to the Adani Group sat on a dharna on Thursday demanding a high-level probe into alleged irregularities in the tendering process. They also urged PM Narendra Modi to release a White Paper on the issue.

A joint forum of unions and associations led by Airports Authority Employees Union (AUE) claimed that family members of employees also participated in the dharna.The management of six airports — Ahmedabad, Mangaluru, Lucknow, Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram — has been handed over to the Adani Group by the Centre.The protestors alleged nepotism and corruption in the tendering process and claimed that the Modi government wilfully deviated from laid down rules and policies to favour the Adani Group.

“The tendering process was tailor-made to fit Adani Enterprises and only the concerns of Adani Enterprises were addressed while finalizing the tender conditions,” said the AUE.It said that after having taken control of profit-making airports, Adani Enterprises would establish its monopoly over the aviation industry in India, adding, “It will adversely affect the existence of AAI.”

“Per passenger fee of Rs. 115-168 (quoted by Adani Enterprises) was too low when compared with the rate quoted by GMR for Bhogapuram Airport (Rs 303) and by Zurich International for Jewar Airport (Rs 400),” AUE said.It demanded that a White Paper must be issued by the PM on the issue, adding that the PM should prove that contentions raised by Niti Aayog, Union Finance Ministry and Law Ministry are baseless.