September 29, 2026 10:18 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Vijay's TVK makes Bengal entry: First party office opens in Purba Bardhaman amid state's political shake-up | SRFTI clash erupts over ABGP event: Students allege assault; BJP calls it ‘ugly face of Leftists’ | 'Asif bhai gun nikal': 17-year-old's chilling account of men posing as cops raping her in South Delhi park | Indian passport rules changed: New validity, fees for children and adults explained | 'Terrorism by Pakistan will have consequences': India issues blunt warning at UNGA | Trouble for Gyanesh Kumar? Plea filed in Supreme Court seeking prosecution of CEC | Air India pilot suspended after failing alcohol test before Zurich-Delhi flight, weeks after marijuana case | 'Don't be selective, boycott all elections': CJP's Abhijeet Dipke's blunt message to Opposition | 'Resign by tomorrow or face nationwide protest from October 2': CJP's Abhijeet Dipke's fresh warning to Gyanesh Kumar | 'Locked' iPhone 17 at centre of mystery surrounding IIT Bombay student's death

Rafale deal: Congress president Rahul Gandhi meets HAL employees

| @indiablooms | Oct 13, 2018, at 06:11 pm

Bangalore, Oct 13 (IBNS): Amid controversies surrounding the Rafale fighter jet deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday met employees of state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited or HAL in Bangalore.

Attacking the Centre, Gandhi said public sectors are the 'temples' of modern India.

"Public Sectors are the temples of modern India. We cannot allow them to be destroyed. If somebody thinks they can build their future on your graves, that cannot be allowed. We are going to fight for your future," Gandhi said.


"Defence Minister says HAL does not have the capability. What capability does the private individual have? I can see the 70+ years of progress made by HAL," he said.
    
Gandhi said he wanted to apologise HAL employees on behalf of the Indian government over the developments related to the Rafale deal.

He said: "I want to commit to you that Public Sector is the backbone of the country and its Defence Forces."

Mediapart's article reinforces the explosive statement by former French president Francois Hollande last month that France did not have a choice in selecting Anil Ambani's rookie defence company for the offset clause in which  Dassault has to ensure that business worth at least half the deal's worth -- Rs.30,000 crore -- is generated in India. Dassault had said even then that the decision was its own.


 

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.