Maharashtra Asks Jet Airways Staff to Call Off 'Silent Protest' at PM Modi's Rally in Mumbai

New Delhi: The government is in no mood to allow Jet Airways issues to enter news cycle in the middle of the general election.

Fearing an awkward situation the protesting Jet Airways employees could create during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public rally in Mumbai on Friday evening, the Maharashtra administration has advised the airline employees not to take out any demonstration or march.

"We have been told to communicate to all employees, who intend to participate in such a procession, not to do so," Jet's chief people's officer Rahul Taneja told the airline staff in a letter.

Taneja informed the employees that police officers from the Sahar police station, Andheri, Mumbai had visited airline premise on the instructions of the Maharashtra government.

The officers said they have been informed that a section of Jet Airways employees are planning a peace walk towards the venue of the Prime Minister's public rally with an intention to make a "silent appeal to save Jet Airways".

"In light of the advice received from the local administration, we urge all employees to ensure that the advice is adhered to strictly and that we should not do anything contrary to what may be prejudicial to the safety of any member of the Jet Airways' family," Taneja wrote.

Over the last few days, Jet Airways' employees have been meeting senior government functionaries to take up unpaid wages. On Friday, CEO Vinay Dube said that banks have been unable to make commitments regarding the remuneration of employees.

In a letter sent to the employees on Friday afternoon, Dube wrote that despite the airline's many attempts to convince the banks to infuse interim funding towards the payment of the pending salaries, the promoters and lessors remain reluctant till the bidding process is over.

Last week, Dube and other senior executive met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and appealed for revival of the grounded airline.

They also urged the senior minister to direct airline officials to release at least a month's salary in the wake of financial hardships faced by them.