Rahul Gandhi says govt weakening Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

New Delhi: The bitter war of words between the government and Congress party over Rafale deal continued on Monday with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rejecting “doubts” on her statement on HAL as “incorrect and misleading” even as Congress President Rahul Gandhi accused the Modi dispensation of weakening state-run aerospace major HAL and destroying India’s strategic capability to benefit industrialist Anil Ambani.

Making a statement in the Lok Sabha, Ms Sitharaman said contracts worth Rs 26,570 crore have been signed by the HAL between 2014-18 and orders amounting to Rs 73,000 crore are in pipeline, which total about Rs 1 lakh crore.

Amid protests by the Opposition members, Ms Sitharaman said: “The doubts raised in this regard are incorrect and misleading.” The minister said HAL has confirmed that contracts amounting to more than Rs 26,570.80 crore have been signed between 2014-18.

Shortly after the Defence Minister’s statement, Mr Gandhi addressed the media outside the House and accused her of "lying" in Parliament and evading his questions on the Rafale fighter jet deal in the Lok Sabha.

He alleged that the government gave Rs 20,000 crore to France's Dassault Aviation, the makers of Rafale jets, even though it has not supplied a single aircraft.

"But why have HAL's dues of Rs 15,700 crore not been cleared?" Mr Gandhi asked.

He alleged that it was "necessary" for the government to "destroy HAL because with a strong HAL, you simply cannot give the contract to anybody else".