'HAL was used to target govt': Modi attacks Cong

February 06, 2023 20:46

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attacked the Congress for "using" the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited as a pretext to level allegations against his government and instigate people.

"Today, HAL's helicopter factory stands as a testimony that has exposed the lies and misinformation spread about HAL", Modi said, without naming the Congress, after inaugurating the Bengaluru-headquartered company's helicopter factory -- the country's largest chopper manufacturing facility -- at Bidarehalla kaval in Gubbi taluk of this district.

"The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited was used as a pretext to level allegations against our government. Conspiracies were hatched to instigate people. Today the HAL is advancing our motto of 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat', he said.

The then Congress president Rahul Gandhi had during 2017-18 said there was a need to "defend the dignity of India's defenders" as he accused the Narendra Modi government of "snatching" the Rafale offset contract from HAL and "gifting" it to Anil Ambani's company.

"HAL is India's strategic asset. The future of India's aerospace industry has been destroyed by snatching #Rafale from HAL & gifting it to Anil Ambani," the Congress leader had said.

Rahul Gandhi and his Congress party at the time were attacking the Modi government over the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale fighter jet deal alleging corruption and favouritism.

Modi recalled that he had in 2016 laid the foundation stone of the factory which was inaugurated today, with a resolve that India has to minimise its defence imports and become self-reliant.

"Now, hundreds of defence equipment are manufactured in India", he pointed out.

Hailing the contribution of HAL, he said the investment in the Aerospace sector in the last eight to nine years is five times more than the figure witnessed in the 15-year period before 2014.

HAL plans to produce more than 1,000 helicopters in the range of 3-15 tonnes, with a total business of over Rs four lakh crore over a period of 20 years, at this facility in Gubbi taluk, officials said.

Spread across 615 acres of land, the factory, for which the PM laid the foundation stone in 2016, would initially manufacture Light Utility Helicopters (LUH)).

The factory will enable India to meet its entire requirement of helicopters without import and giving much needed fillip to the Prime Minister's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat' in helicopter design, development, and manufacture, they said.

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