Dehra Dun, Nov 15 (NDTV): Rata Tata has disclosed that a minister asked his company for a bribe of 15 crores when he was trying to set up a domestic airline in the mid-1990s.
Tata did not name the minister and said the incident took place "10-12 years ago." He also said that he hopes the matter is not taken up for investigation now because "it could cast shadows on the wrong person."
In the mid-90s, the Tatas tried to set up a domestic airline in collaboration with Singapore Airlines.
Explaining what happened, Tata said, "We approached three Prime Ministers also. But an individual thwarted our efforts to form the airlines."
Tata said he was on a flight and "another industrialist who was sitting next to me said 'I don't understand... you people are very stupid... you know the minister wants 15 crores... why don't you pay it?' And I just said 'You can't understand it... I just want to go to bed at night... knowing that I haven't got the airline by paying for it.' And I can tell you I would have been feeling tremendously shameful had we got the airline and we had paid for it."
He also stressed that he has not changed his mind about retiring in 2012 as Chairman of the Tata Group.
"I don't want to change my deadline I set for my retirement. There are lots of sacrifices, one has to make in terms of personal life. I wanted my life back. I want to enjoy the things that I wanted to do," Tata said.
In August this year, the Board of Tata Sons Ltd formed a selection committee comprising five members, including an external member for eventually deciding on Tata's replacement.
"There is no such thing as an indispensable individual. The day I succeeded JRD Tata, I felt I had to fill very large shoes. I knew that I cannot be another JRD and I have to be my own person", Tata said in reply to a question after delivering a lecture here.
"I believe my successor will be his own person and hopefully will do things for the country and the group the way we have been doing till now or much better.
"I ferociously want to ensure that my successor has total commitment for ethics and values."