India

Rafale: Karnataka CM asks why Modi Govt didn’t protect interests of HAL 

Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy asked why the Modi Govt didn’t protect the interests of HAL, after Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman blamed Congress for the Rafale contract not going to HAL

Twitter/@hd_kumaraswamy
Twitter/@hd_kumaraswamy Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy (far right; file photo)

“Nirmala Sitharaman shifted the blame on Congress for [Rafale] contract not going to HAL, then why this government takes these kinds of decisions? They have all powers, they could have given this order to HAL and protected the interests of HAL. Why haven't they done so?,” ANI reported Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy as saying on Monday, October 1.

Published: 01 Oct 2018, 12:59 PM IST

Congress President Rahul Gandhi has accused the Modi Government of favouring private player Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence Limited over state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limted (HAL) as offset partner for the 30,000 crore Rafale fighter jet deal.

Terming the Congress charges false, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman speaking in Bengaluru on Sunday, September 30 had blamed the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government for not finalising the deal with Dassault Aviation and failing to seal the deal with HAL.

However, the Karnataka Chief Minister has now said that the Narendra Modi Government had all the powers to protect the interests of HAL and questioned why the Rafale order was not given to HAL.

Published: 01 Oct 2018, 12:59 PM IST

With IANS inputs

Published: 01 Oct 2018, 12:59 PM IST

This article was updated at 1.40 pm on October 1 to add the IANS credit

Published: 01 Oct 2018, 12:59 PM IST

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Published: 01 Oct 2018, 12:59 PM IST