A rally to highlight the plight of the defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL) in view of the controversy over HAL missing the contract to produce Rafale fighter jet by the State Congress Party has been cancelled. The State Congress had announced that on his visit to Bengaluru on Saturday Congress president Rahul Gandhi will visit HAL and address the employees. However Gopal Sutar, Chief of Media Communications, HAL told reporters on Thursday, “There is no communication on Rahul Gandhi’s meeting with the HAL employees in Bengaluru.”
Rahul was slated to meet HAL employees in Bengaluru on 13 October. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president Dinesh Gundu Rao had said Rahul will talk to the employees of the HAL about the controversial deal and also address a rally in Bengaluru. However on Thursday Dinesh Gundu Rao denied Rahul Gandhi is coming to meet HAL employees but said he will hold a discussion .
He said "Event is being held by some people to hold a discussion on Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd's contribution to India, anyone can participate in it including HAL employees. He's not coming to meet HAL employees."
Rahul Gandhi had ridiculed union Government's flagship Skill India campaign as "S-Kill India" and alleged Rs 30,000 crore was "stolen" from HAL in the Rafale deal and given to a man with "no skills" to make an aircraft. The Congress has been accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of snatching jobs of the people of Karnataka by taking away the contract from HAL. Rahul had been saying that had HAL been selected in place of Reliance Defence it could have generated employment to scores of unemployed youth in the State.
The BJP has dismissed all allegations as false. Modi had announced the procurement of 36 Rafale fighters after holding talks with then French president Francois Hollande on 10 April, 2015, in Paris.