VISAKHAPATNAM: The All-India Defence Employees' Federation (AIDEF) has regretted that its demand to scrap Vijay Kelkar Committee, which has recommended corporatisation of Defence industries, has not received positive response.

Privatisation or corporatisation of Defence industries was against the nation's security interests and should not be allowed, AIDEF's general secretaries C. Srikumar and Saila Bhattacharya told a press conference here on Saturday.

While the National Democratic Alliance Government had arbitrarily amended the Industrial Policy, allowing 100 per cent private participation with 26 per cent foreign direct investment in Defence industry and given 16 licences, the present United Progressive Alliance Government, too was moving in the same direction and had so far issued three licences.

A delegation of AIDEF met Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, urging the Govenrment not to accept the Kelkar Committee report but there was no positive response. Hence the AIDEF decided had to observe August 24 as "Scrap Kelkar Committee Day''. It would organise demonstrations and burn copies of the report on that day.

The AIDEF was also fighting for other demands of Defence employees, like constitution of the sixth pay commission, implementation of four arbitration awards on house rent, conveyance, washing and night duty allowances among other things.

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