New Delhi: The former office-bearers of HAL employees union met Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, January 10.
The union members expressed their gratitude to Gandhi for raising the issue of the defence PSU not getting the contract to manufacture the Rafale jets on a transfer of technology basis.
In a press conference which was held after their meeting with Rahul, the former employees of HAL accused Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of attempting to build a false narrative that HAL is incapable of building the Rafale fighter jet.
Vijay Kumar, Master Technician in the Aero Engine Division and a former office-bearer of the HAL union said, “We appealed to Rahul Gandhi to ensure that HAL gets to build the Rafale aircraft on a transfer of technology basis.”
S Renuka, former general secretary and chief convenor of the All India Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd Trade Union Coordination Committee accused the Modi government of making no investments in the defence PSU.
“There is a systematic conspiracy to bleed and shut down HAL by the present government. The present government has paid Rs 20,000 Crore in advance for buying the Rafale to Dassault Aviation without delivery of a single aircraft. On the other hand, HAL has not been paid Rs 14,000 Crore for aircraft, helicopters that have already been delivered,” Renuka said.
