Hunger stir will continue till justice is done: ATCs

MUMBAI, MARCH 21: The Air Traffic Controllers8217; guild today said that their stir would continue till their six colleagues arrested on Saturday got justice. However, the ATCs said they would continue their six-hour duty so that flights were not disrupted.

The ATCs went on a nationwide indefinite hunger strike late on Saturday night to protest against yesterday8217;s arrest of six dismissed ATCs 8212; four in Mumbai and two in Delhi. Four city-based ATCs 8212; P N Bahuguna, P Srinivas, M K Sinha and Sudhanshu Gupta 8212; were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Civil Aviation Safety Act for their role in last month8217;s strike.

The arrests came after Bombay High Court judge P S Patankar on Saturday rejected the bail application of the dismissed ATCs saying the strike was illegal.

Airport unions expressed solidarity for the ATCs. Air Corporation Employees Union General Secretary C D Soman has exhorted AAI to resolve the issue through negotiation. Other unions such as AAI Engineers8217; Union and AAIKamgar Union have also supported the ATCs. Meanwhile, various unions are planning to take out a morcha on Monday to the office of the Airport Executive Director to demand the ATCs release.