Praful Patel is Dawood's man in India

He is one of the most incompetent ministers in the UPA ministry. In addition, he is also a paid stooge who is on the payroll of a guy who is the point man of Dawood IbrahimDawood Ibrahim in India.

Praful PatelPraful Patel is one guy who should take the credit for the mess that Air India is in. He has systematically ensured the erosion of competitive edge that the Maharaja used to posses before he took over. He has also worked with his boss Naresh Goyal to open up all lucrative routes to competition and then ensured the withdrawal of AI from the same. This man made the national carrier bleed to ensure that the coffers of his master Naresh Goyal were full at all times.

While Patel took a keen interest in the functioning of Jet Airlines (even attending ceremonies organized by Goyal), he neglected Air India and its needs consistently. Whenever Jet Airways or Goyal were to face any business hitch, they could easily fall back on their man in the ministry of civil aviation to bail them out. On both occasions, viz when Jet Airways employees went on a strike or when the carrier was suffering due to high ATF charges, Patel robustly stepped in defending the airlines in the media, when needed or doling out policy changes by the dozen.

When Air India faced the employees strike, it was almost as though Patel was non existent. No one heard him or saw him anywhere. None of the media channels approached him for any sound bite as he didn’t have anything to say and was least bothered. In fact the PM and GoM had to step in to fill the gap.

Shame on Patel. The prime minister should fire this incompetent minister at the earliest and bring in someone who could effect a real turn around. Things will not work out till this paid henchman is around. He should also be investigated for his links with the underworld and Goyal.