Rafale Jet Replica Erected Outside Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa’s Residence, Located Next to Congress Headquarters
Incidentally, the official accomodation of BS Dhanoa is located next to the headquarters of Congress -- the party which spearheaded the Rafale issue moving into the Lok Sabha elections 2019.
New Delhi, May 31: A replica of the Rafale fighter jet has been installed outside the residence of Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa. The move comes amid Opposition's pre-election tirade against the Opposition over the embattled deal with French arms manufacturer Dassault Aviation.
Incidentally, the official accomodation of BS Dhanoa is located next to the headquarters of Congress -- the party which spearheaded the Rafale issue moving into the Lok Sabha elections 2019. IAF Chief's Squadron to Be First Rafale Combat Aircraft Unit
Congress' allegations of scam and quid pro quo in Rafale did not strike a chord with the voters, who overwhelmingly voted in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA.
Far from denting its vote share, the BJP-led coalition increased its electoral share from 31 per cent in 2014 to 37.5 per cent in 2019. In terms of seats, the BJP grew from 282 to 303 parliamentary constituencies, whereas, the NDA jumped from 336 to 352 seats.
Visuals of Rafale Replica Erected Outside Dhanoa's Residence:
On Thursday, the IAF officials claimed that the first Rafale combat aircraft would be inducted into the Indian Air Force's 'Golden Arrows' 17 Squadron which was commanded by Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa during the Kargil war in 1999.
"The first unit to receive the Rafale combat aircraft would be the 17 Squadron which was earlier located in Bhatinda in Punjab and will now be shifted to Ambala in Haryana," IAF sources told ANI.
The other squadron of the fighter aircraft would be based out of Hasimara in West Bengal to tackle the front facing China, sources added. The 17 Squadron used to operate the MiG-21s earlier and is 'number-plated' at the moment.
The first Rafale is expected to be handed over to the Indian Air Force in September 2019 but it would be required to undergo intensive 1,500 hours of testing to validate the India Specific Enhancements on it. So, the first batch of the four planes is likely to arrive at Ambala around May 2020.
(With ANI inputs)
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 31, 2019 12:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).