Rahul ups ante against BJP in MP

Says govt sidelined HAL planes even though these were used in Kargil

Upping his ante against BJP with regards to the controversial Rafale fighter jets deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said even though Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)made aircraft were used effectively by the Indian Air Force (IAF) to drop bombs during the 1999 Kargil War, the government did not find it competent enough to be part of the Rafale deal.

“During the Kargil War, HAL aircraft dropped bombs on the Pakistan Army. HAL knows how to make aircraft. The talks were confirmed. HAL discussed with France’s Dassault to buy one aircraft for `526 crore. After that, chowkidar became the Prime Minister. Soon after that, Prime Minister Modi visited France, along with Anil Ambani. What happens next is the `526 crore aircraft now gets sold for `1,600 crore. HAL is sidelined and Anil Ambani is made the offset partner. Anil Ambani never made an aircraft. HAL has been making aircraft for the last 70 years,” Rahul said at an election rally in MP.

The IAF had used MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, MiG-29, Jaguar and Mirage-2000 aircraft during the Kargil War. The aircraft were assembled by HAL under licence production from the manufacturers.

Elaborating on the need for HAL to weigh in to manufacture aircraft, the Gandhi scion said: “The IAF came to UPA government and said they want 126 fighter jets. The UPA government asked them to look around the world and buy the aircraft they find the best and buy them at the cheapest price. But we told them the aircraft will be built in India as the youth want jobs and it will be made by HAL. Air Force people said it’s totally correct.”

Rahul said the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar

During the Kargil War, HAL aircraft dropped bombs on the Pakistan Army. HAL knows how to make aircraft. The talks were confirmed. HAL discussed with France’s Dassault to buy one aircraft for `526 crore. After that, chowkidar became the PM. Soon after that, PM Modi visited France, along with Anil Ambani. What happens next is the `526 cr aircraft now gets sold for `1,600 cr. HAL is sidelined and Anil Ambani is made the offset partner. Anil Ambani never made an aircraft. HAL has been making aircraft for the last 70 years.

— RAHUL GANDHI, Congress president

was unaware of all this. “He stood up and said, ‘I didn’t do this job. I don’t know what happened.’ PM himself changed the contract. The French media asked them what has happened. How come `526 crore became `1,600 crore? Who is this Anil Ambani? How come he got this contract? Our press is a bit hesitant (in asking such questions),” he added.

The Congress chief further said people of MP have “made up their minds” to dethrone Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s government. “And in few months 56-inch chowkidar’s government will also be removed. A woman told one of our workers that just like a

tava gets bad in 10 years, similarly, Chouhan’s government has become like that tava. Now we have to pick up the

tava and throw it out. Every CM in a BJP ruled state is involved in scams, where public money is stolen,” he said. The assembly poll in MP will be held on November 28.