Shiv Sena's 10-day ultimatum to Mumbai airport: ‘Terminate Turkish firm's contract or else ...’

Leaders from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena staged a protest at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, calling for the immediate termination of Turkish ground-handling firm Celebi NAS Airport Services. The protest follows growing anger over Turkey’s vocal support for Pakistan during recent military tensions with India, according to a report by PTI.

Led by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel, the demonstrators criticised the continued operations of Celebi NAS - a company managing nearly 70% of Mumbai Airport’s ground services, including passenger handling, flight operations, and cargo logistics.

“Under the leadership of Eknath Shinde, we will work to shut down all Turkish companies operating in Mumbai,” Patel was quoted by TOI as declaring during the protest. “Earning money from India and using it to help Pakistan is not going to work in Maharashtra.”

Patel has written to the Chief Airport Officer, urging a suspension of Celebi NAS’s permissions, citing "grave concerns" over national security. In the letter, Patel argued that the Turkish government’s recent pro-Pakistan stance raises “potential risks and vulnerabilities” given Celebi’s access to sensitive infrastructure.

"We strongly urge MIAL to take immediate steps to suspend or revoke the operating permissions of Celebi NAS at Mumbai Airport and take over all the operational activity of Celebi NAS with immediate effect until our national interests are safeguarded," Patel was quoted as saying by PTI.

The Shiv Sena leaders have issued a 10-day ultimatum to the airport authorities to act, warning of an “Ugr Andolan” (intensified protest) with a mobilisation of 10,000 party workers if their demand is unmet, as per TOI.

The protest is part of a broader, swelling backlash against Turkish businesses across India. In Himachal Pradesh, apple growers have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a ban on Turkish apple imports.

In Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad, fruit traders have pledged to sever all ties with Turkish firms. And following revelations about the origin of drones used against India, marble traders from Udaipur in Rajasthan - widely known as the marble capital of the country - have also urged the central government to ban marble imports from Turkey.

According to ANI, India imports over Rs 1,200 crore worth of goods annually from Turkey, including a significant volume of fruits such as apples. The recent escalation in diplomatic tensions has turned economic relationships into a political flashpoint. microblogging site X.