Shiv Sena, a prominent political party in India, is exerting pressure on Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) to terminate its contract with CelebiNAS Airport Services India, a Turkish company responsible for much of the ground handling at the airport. This demand follows allegations of Turkey’s support for Pakistan’s military activities, particularly the use of drones in attacks on India, which has fueled rising tensions between the two nations.
On Monday, Murji Patel, a senior Shiv Sena leader, led a delegation to MIAL, urging the cancellation of the contract due to what he described as Turkey’s role in supplying drones to Pakistan, which have reportedly been used in attacks on India. Patel stated, “We will not allow any Turkish company to do business in Mumbai. We have told the CEO of MIAL that they should cancel the agreement with the Turkish company. They have assured us that they would do this within ten days.”
The Shiv Sena’s protest is part of a broader political and economic push to challenge Turkey’s business presence in Mumbai, particularly in light of its support for Pakistan. Patel emphasized that CelebiNAS should not be allowed to benefit from its operations in India while allegedly aiding a country involved in military confrontations with India.
The political party has given MIAL a deadline of ten days to sever ties with CelebiNAS, stressing that the airport should not support companies connected to Pakistan’s military activities. The call for the termination of the contract underscores the growing tension and the politicization of business relationships in the context of geopolitical issues between India, Pakistan, and Turkey.
