! # ! *.&.*& / )*+, '- $%&% '( < "( 12 344 5 (+6+7!+8" +(# ::$(7;$" " " # $#%% &" '$()* + , !" "# $%" & ! "$% !& 0 # Q" " after the NDA came to power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a unilateral deci- $& $' R O P sion on April 10, 2015 to pur- chase 36 aircraft. “When the !"# IAF demanded 126 aircraft, who authorised the PM to reduce the number to 36?” he out with the truth,” the asked. Congress leader said. The requirement for 126 ormer Defence Minister AK Rejecting the charges lev- aircraft was made by the IAF in FAntony on Tuesday accused elled by Defence Minister 2000. In 2018, the threat per- incumbent Nirmala Nirmala Sitharaman that an ception from our border Sitharaman of “suppressing unprecedented intervention by nations has increased than R facts” regarding the Rafale deal him in 2013 had put the “final what it was in 2000, Antony and asked why the nail in the coffin” of the aircraft claimed. Government is not setting up deal when the cost negotiation The Congress leader a joint parliamentary commit- committee was giving final $ "% " && ' claimed that if the UPA tee (JPC) to probe it. Antony touches to the deal, Antony ( & ) ' + , & (& ,- deal was not cancelled, the efence Minister Nirmala also held the Government said, “Her allegations are com- " , ' HAL would have acquired DSitharaman has blamed “guilty” of “gravely compro- pletely false and she is deliber- state-of-the-art technology the previous UPA Government mising” national security in the ately suppressing the facts.” than it was in the UPA deal, didn’t buy more than 126 if it through transfer-of-technolo- for ignoring the interests of Rafale deal. The former Minister went Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was cheaper?” Antony asked. gy and would have gained the Hindustan Aeronautics The Congress leader on to allege that contract nego- said it is 20 per cent cheaper He claimed that before the experience to manufacture Limited (HAL) and Indian Air / ) , ' && ' demanded that the Modi tiations were almost over and and an IAF officer said it is 40 UPA demitted office, the nego- fighter aircraft. India lost this Force (IAF) and claimed that ' ( & ) ' " , ' Government should publish when the proposal was sent to per cent cheaper, then why they tiations were almost over, and opportunity, he said. the NDA Government is the price of the UPA the Finance Ministry, it felt that getting 36 Rafale fighter jets nies.Sitharaman also accused Government’s deal for 126 air- the life cycle cost concept was at a rate nine per cent the UPA Government of not craft and the current price of a new concept and they cannot cheaper than what was agreed finalising the Rafale deal for the NDA Government’s 36 support it. upon by the then UPA years. “Why didn’t the agree- Rafale deal, including per air- Antony also claimed that '& !"# & Government. ment happen,” she asked. craft price, to clear the doubts the then Congress-led UPA Speaking at the Indian The Defence Minister said, and let the nation decide who Government had received Women’s Press Corps, “The UPA Government could is correct. objections and reservations in the capabilities to produce any Sitharaman reacted to former have strengthened the HAL. “Since, there is a growing written from several leaders, fighter with technology trans- Defence Minister AK Antony’s Every question should actual- perception that the Modi including a senior BJP MP, he atmosphere at fer. They also feel the HAL has allegations, saying, “The deal ly go to them. They didn’t take Government’s Rafale purchase about the life cycle cost calcu- TBengaluru-based defence become a pawn in the political didn’t happen during the UPA. care of the HAL.” deal has more skeletons in its lation and the Indian Air Force public sector undertaking slugfest. What also didn’t happen dur- She said Antony is a very closet, let there be a joint par- (IAF) was insisting to finalise Hindustan Aeronautics Another retired executive ing the UPA was that the HAL senior leader, and having been liamentary probe to bring out the deal. “Then I directed that Limited (HAL) is sombre. The pointed out that this has killed and the Dassault couldn’t agree in the Ministry before her, he the truth,” Antony said at a the negotiations should con- statement of Defence Minister Prime Minister Narendra on production terms. So the understands the negotiations. Press conference. tinue, but take it to the Cabinet Nirmala Sitharaman question- Modi’s dream of “Make in HAL and Rafale couldn’t go Sitharaman added the Rafale He also accused the PM of Committee on Security only ing the capability of the ace India”. together. Doesn’t that very negotiations were not “over violating the Defence procure- after disputes are settled,” PSU in the context of Rafael He also pointed out that clearly say who didn’t go with the counter” purchases. ment procedure (DPP), as Antony said. deal controversy has dampened the Government started, what the HAL? Under which This assertion came after according to it only the Defence The former Defence the spirit of the staff, scientists is called buyback of shares, and Government did that happen? Antony questioned why the Acquisition Council, chaired by Minister accused Sitharaman of and officials of the PSU. took about 5,000-6,000 crore So saying that the NDA Centre did not buy 126 aircraft. the Defence Minister and com- trying to tarnish the image of In her defence of the HAL...The noise that is being could have increased that each year for last three years Government did not take care Sitharaman said 126 jets will prising the three service chiefs, public-sector Hindustan Rafael’s 37,000-crore offset made now, the HAL is being capacity, which is what we from the HAL. He said with of HAL is absolutely misplaced. also have to be bought on order can decide the number of air- Aeronautics Limited (HAL) contract not going to the PSU, ignored… If they were more have done. We are quite active- this the order book position of Neither the HAL nor Air and, therefore, will have a time- craft and weapons to be pur- both nationally and globally. He the Minister had said the HAL interested in the HAL, why did- ly engaged with the HAL. For the HAL came down drasti- Force’s interests were taken line and follow all related con- chased. “Prime Minister Modi’s also asked if the price of the didn’t have the capability to n’t they sit with the French the love of the HAL... UPA, Shri cally. care of by the UPA.” ditions like escalation costs. decision is a clear violation of Rafale fighter jets were cheap- produce 4.5 generation French- (company) and talk it out to see Rahul Gandhi doesn’t just help Regarding design and Refuting the Congress’ Responding to questions the DPP,” he said. er than that negotiated by the made Rafael fighter jets. what is deficient about the talking.” development of new aircraft/ charge that the Government on the Congress’s allegations “In the JPC, the present UPA Government, and why the Speaking to a news chan- HAL’s offer and what can be The officials and staff at the helicopter/aircraft engines, an preferred Reliance Defence to against the Government Government has got the major- Government bought 36 aircraft nel, Sitharaman had said, done to improve it and how the HAL, the country’s only official said as of now Indian collaborate with Dassault over- over the Rafale deal, the ity. Why are they afraid? Let the instead of 126 from the French “There are questions which… HAL indeed gets it. defence aerospace company private sector companies do looking the HAL, Sitharaman Minister said, “We have JPC go through all the files. The company. why didn’t you prefer the If they really had a love for established over seven decades not have expertise, patience, said the rules framed by the responded saying your basic JPC can call files. A JPC con- “While Law Minister Ravi HAL... I will answer that too... the HAL, at least LCA pro- ago, feel insulted by Minister’s and perseverance to pursue a previous Congress-led coalition price and the basic price that I sisting of a majority of persons Shankar Prasad had claimed In fact, if anything, I would ductions should have been remarks and point out that the design which may take any- Government had allowed the am getting at, when compared from the Government can look that in the new agreement, the question the Congress increased. If you genuinely HAL has been the backbone of where between 6 years and 20 foreign companies to enter with all the escalation and other through all the files and come price is nine per cent cheaper party...Your love for the had a love for the HAL, you the Indian Air Force and has years. into deal with private compa- things, is 9 per cent cheaper.” O 0" !" ! " # $ #$ P ' O !"#$" & R &' (&")"+!($(, O - . Court functions and no dead- / lock in judicial system,” he Puri police swung into / 0 demanded Mishra. Taction on Tuesday against a n FIR was filed with Puri he Directorate General of Raising the issue of a non- helicopter that had allegedly media posted by the tourists, ASP Sarthak Sarangi against TCivil Aviation (DGCA) rushed into the Well of the Odia person giving derogatory uri Superintendent of Police flown over the Chilika lake on said Sarangi to reporters. He Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, would probe into the allega- House and raised their respec- remarks on the Sun Temple, PSarthak Sarangi on Tuesday September 15.