New Delhi, January 4: Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday in Lok Sabha while answering to the questions on Rafale deal, attacked the Congress party for demeaning the national security and accused that ‘Congress is shedding crocodile tears for HAL’. In her reply to the parliament, the Union Defence Minister alleged that the Congress president is misleading the country with misinformation on ‘Rafale Deal’ by taking the help of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The Minister said, “Congress is shedding crocodile tears for HAL. Congress government gave 53 waivers to HAL. We have given contracts worth Rs 1 lakh crore.” Sitharaman accused the Congress, in their previous tenures, why HAL was not developed to produce fighter jets like Rafale? Nirmala Sitharaman Tears Into Congress in Lok Sabha Over Rafale Deal, Says 'UPA Didn't Intend to Buy Aircraft, NDA Negotiated in 14 Months'.

Pointing at Leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, she said, “I want to say to Kharge Ji, who is member of Standing Committee that looked into various issues related to Defence production, in a report stated 'Standing Committee is disappointed to know that even after three decades HAL hasn't been able to develop the required aircraft'."

Rafale Debate: Top Quotes of Nirmala Sitharaman

Hitting at Rahul Gandhi, she alleged, “When Rahul Gandhi held a meeting near HAL Bengaluru, he said, ‘Rafale is your right. You should have produced it’.” Further, she accused the Congress party of corruption and for every defence deal, they have made taking the help ‘RV’ (allegedly Robert Vadra). Sitharaman said, “Congress did not intend buying the jets. For every 'AA' there is a 'Q' and 'RV'.”

Questioning on the intentions of the Congress to validate her arguments, the Union Defence Minister said, “There is a difference between defence dealings and dealing in defence. We (NDA government) don't do defence dealings. We deal in defence with national security as a priority.” Rahul Gandhi Takes Dig at PM Narendra Modi With 'Missing Q3' Twist on Rafale Deal.

Speaking on other issues related with the emergency defence deals, Sitharaman said, “Emergency purchases are always two squadrons. In 1982, when Pakistan was buying F-16s, Indian government then decided to buy two squadrons of MIG-23 MF from the erstwhile Soviet Union, in '85 again two squadrons of Mirage 2000 bought from France and in '87 - 2 squadrons of MIG-29.” Adding that, the UPA government did not intent buying of aircraft for Indian force.

Coming back to the point, the minister answered the question of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and stated that the Rafale deal was the need to strengthen the armed forces on an urgent basis. She noted that the first aircraft would be delivered in September 2019 and 36 aircraft will be delivered in the year 2022.

Sitharaman said that the process of negotiation in the Rafale deal was finished in 14 months, as BJP government had put the national security as its priority. She said. “The process of negotiation did not run for 10 years and we finished it in 14 months... and the delivery of the 36 aircraft has been advanced by 5 months as compared to the MMRC proposal." Rafale Audio Clip: Congress Trying to Fabricate Facts, Says Goa CM Manohar Parrikar.

Adding more, she said, “The IGA (inter-governmental agreement) was signed on 21st September, 2015 and the first aircraft will be delivered in 3 years from that date and the last aircraft will come in 2022." She added that getting equipment for our armed forces on time should be a priority for the country.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 04, 2019 03:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).