Why did Modi oust HAL despite a work-share agreement with Dassault, asks Congress

New Delhi, Jan 20 Continuing its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "enriching his crony" in the Rafale deal, the Congress on Sunday demanded to know why Defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was "ousted" from the deal despite having a work-share with Rafale maker Dassault Aviation.

Citing media reports as well as a tweet by Dassault confirming the work-share agreement, Congress spokesperson Priyanaka Chaturvedi also targeted Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman who has accused the opposition of trying to "sabotage" the deal and "becoming pawns in corporate warfare".

"By bringing the argument about corporate warfare, Defence Minister seals and stamps the Congress party's charge that Rs 30,000 crore offset contract and Rs 1 lakh crore lifecycle cost contract was given to Modi's crony.

"In this process, 75-year-old PSU HAL lost out to a company that was started just 12 days after the deal announcement," Chaturvedi told the media here.

She demanded the Modi government to disclose the "compulsion" behind its decision to "snatch" 108 Rafale contract from HAL,despite having a work-share agreement with Dassault.

"Why did Modi government reject the Air Force's need and demand for 126 fighter aircraft (7 squadrons) and decide to buy only 36 aircraft (2 squadrons)? What was the obligation under which government squandered transfer of technology," asked the Congress leader.

Chaturvedi also accused Sitharaman of "lying to parliament" about offset partners in the deal.

"Sitharaman stated that she cannot divulge the offset partners in the deal, but the fact is that on October 28, 2017, the French Defence Minister met Sitharaman and went to Nagpur to attend stone-laying of Dassault-Reliance JV with her cabinet colleagues and Maharashtra chief Minister

"Why did she (Sitharaman) lie to the Parliament? What brief is she holding and to guard which corporate entity," asked Chaturvedi.