London-based publisher Bloomsbury has withdrawn a book by Jitender Bhargava in response to a case filed by former aviation minister Praful Patel who the book blames for the national airline's weak financial health.
"If the contents of the book have caused any embarrassment to Mr Patel, we sincerely regret the same and it was never our intention to discredit him in any manner," Bloomsbury, publishers of famous books as the Harry Potter series, said in a public notice.
The book, 'The Descent of Air India', published on October 11, chronicles the financial troubles of Air India. It claims that its mammoth deal to buy 111 planes in 2005 and 2006 with Boeing and Airbus and the merger with erstwhile state-run domestic carrier Indian Airlines lead to Air India's troubles. The book squarely blames Patel, currently the minister for heavy industries and public enterprises, and Air India's former chairman V Thulasidas for these decisions.
Air India has been making losses for seven years and has been surviving largely on equity infusions from and loans backed by the Indian government.
Patel said he will not pursue the matter further now that Bloomsbury has apologised and withdrawn publication of the book. "Bhargava has no face. If he decides to re-publish a book written on personal vilification, let him go ahead," he said. Bhargava, a former executive director at Air India, said the book has sold enough copies to spread the message he wanted to convey. "A lot of people have already read it. There was a reprint. If someone wants to read more, I have copies lying at home," he said.
Earlier in the day, Bhargava posted the news on his account on social networking site Facebook. He added that "the decision of Bloomsbury was unilateral, and without discussing with me, as an author. Their stand thus naturally came to me as a surprise".
Bhargava reiterated that "everything stated in the book is true, based on documents", and said he will have the book reprinted "either on my own or through a new publisher".
Bhargava also said he plans to bring out an e-book in the next four to five weeks.
He said a chapter from the book has been incorporated by Prashant Bhushan of the Aam Aadmi Party in a petition filed with the Supreme Court against Air India's aircraft acquisition.
The petition incorporates, among other things, a 2011 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General which also blames the airline's plane purchase as the reason for its beleaguered state.