The Congress on Sunday attacked the Union government over a move to privatise 20-25 airports, alleging it was like every other decision of the Narendra Modi government that has ended up “benefiting” big private players “but goes against the common man”.

On Friday, Guruprasad Mohapatra, chairman, Airports Authority of India, had said the government, which had privatised six airports earlier, would privatise 20-25 more in the next phase.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera claimed the aviation ministry had ignored the recommendations of the government think tank Niti Aayog and the department of economic affairs.

Both, he told a media conference, were not in favour of awarding one private group the contract for more than two airports.

He also said that only 14 of 123 Indian airports had made profits and five of the profit-making ones had been handed over to one private company.

“We have been from time to time bringing before you facts which reveal and expose that every decision taken by the Modi government ends up benefiting and profiting big corporates, but goes against the common Indian,” the Congress spokesperson said.

Khera said that when the UPA was in power, the government had decided not to award Delhi and Mumbai airports to the same group although it had emerged as the only successful bidder.

The Modi government, he added, had introduced an aviation security fee in place of passenger service fee and it would cost flyers one-and-half times more. “It is very visible who is profiting and who is losing in all these decisions. All conditions which were brought for fliers’ interests are being set aside.”

Khera said the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Act means that all the five airports handed over to the private group will have virtually no government control for the next 50 years.