Sitharaman must quit over HAL remark: Cong

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 20

The Congress, led by party chief Rahul Gandhi, Thursday demanded the resignation of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for saying that public sector undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics Limited did not have the capacity to produce Rafale jets, which was a reason why the deal didn’t mature under the UPA.

Gandhi and his party cited the statement of former HAL chief TS Raju who said to a section of media that the defence PSU had the capability of manufacturing Rafale fighter jets in India.

“The RM (Rafale Minister) tasked with defending corruption has been caught lying again. Former HAL Chief TS Raju has nailed her lie, that HAL didn’t have the capability to build the RAFALE. Her position is untenable and she must resign,” Gandhi tweeted.

Accusing Sitharaman of “trashing a PSU under her own ministry in a highly irresponsible and cavalier manner,” Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said the statement of former HAL chief had blown Defence Minister’s assertion out of the water.

“The chief of HAL, who retired on September 1, 2018, after spending a lifetime in HAL, has made an extremely pertinent point that absolutely demolishes the case that the NDA-BJP government from the PM downwards has been trying to build,” Tewari said.