Former navy chief calls for political accountability
NEW DELHI : Former navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash has sought accountability from the political leadership and the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited brass after the crash of a Mirage-2000 fighter jet yesterday in Bengaluru killing two IAF pilots, providing fresh fuel to the fierce debate over the state-run aircraft maker’s work ethics.
A naval aviator himself and a decorated officer, he tweeted that the military has for decades flown poor quality HAL machines and often paid with young lives. “The Mirage was not flown by ordinary pilots; these were superbly trained ASTE test pilots. Mil (military) has for decades flown poor quality HAL machines and often paid with young lives but not recknoning for HAL management. Time to focus on the leadership and directors of this giant PSU,” tweeted Prakash on Mirage crash.
He said “HAL bashing may be justified to a point, but (it’s) time to question elected reps (representatives) too. 35 defence ministers have overseen this giant DPSU since 1947. While pampering its union, none demanded quality, productivity & aeronautical innovation of HAL or hand-picked a dynamic CEO.”
As the details of the crash
emerge from independent accounts, the aircraft, which was on an acceptance sortie on Friday, after an upgrade by HAL, failed to take off.
BJP MP Rajiv Chandrasekhar tweeted that if families of the pilots want accountability from HAL, he would ensure legal support for them.
Squadron leaders Samir Abrol and Siddhartha Negi died in the crash . Both were test pilots from Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) of IAF.