Despite Asked Not To Meet, HAL Members Meets Up With Rahul Gandhi

Yesterday, prior to his meeting with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) the members were asked not to meet up with Rahul Gandhi outside HAL.

Ignoring the message, the members met up with the Congress President where he stated that the HAL members felt insulted.

Rahul Gandhi said: “HAL employees told me that they are the most experienced and best company in India to manufacture defence equipment. For 70 years they have been making aircraft. They are insulted and hurt that their hard work for the last 70 years has been questioned by the government of India through the Defense Minister.”

Comparing the HAL and Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defense Limited, Gandhi said: “The defence minister comments on lack of experience of HAL but she does not have anything to say on lack of experience of Anil Ambani, HAL has no debt but he has 45,000 crores of debt. HAL has been working for 70-80years but his company has been working for 12 days. It’s pretty clear that there is no comparison between the capabilities of the two companies. We are here to defend the people who are defending the nation.”

Defending their stand, HAL employees took up the mic to share their experience & achievements working in HAL.

HAL is a strategic asset said, Rahul Gandhi.

“HAL for me is not just an ordinary company. When we got our independence, India built some strategic assets. These assets were designed to enter particular spaces like IIT was an asset to the higher education space. Similarly, HAL is a strategic asset to take India into aerospace.

All the people who have worked at HAL or are working here have done tremendous work for this country and country owes a debt to them for protecting us and creating a scientific atmosphere and vision in the country. When former President of USA Obama says that the only countries that can challenge the USA in future are India and China, one reason why he says that is because of the work that HAL has done.”

“If someone thinks that they can build their future on your grave, we are not going to allow it. There is a tremendous amount of experience that HAL and its employees have and this cannot be destroyed or wiped out in this manner. We are going to fight for the right of HAL employees. Rafale is the HAL’s right because it is the only company in India that has the experience to build that plane. We fundamentally believe that India’s defence preparedness can only be saved if companies like HAL and DRDO are protected,” he added.

Prior to his visit to HAL, Rahul Gandhi posted on his Twitter his visit asking people to join him outside the establishment.