Bangalore: The BJP government at the centre denying public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to produce and supply equipment of Rafale multi-role war aircraft under off-set rules had denied the proven PSU aircraft manufacturer and pushed the company into red, thus endangering jobs of employees in HAL, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge today said.

Speaking at a convention of HAL SC/ST Officers Union here on Saturday, Mr Kharge said the Union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had favoured private industry Reliance group and denied proven performer HAL its due. Its decision to hand over off-set equipment manufacture to private industry in Rafale deal had hit hard on HAL plans of modernising its plants across the county as it suffered losses due to denial of Rafale deal.

'If you cannot give the contract to the proven Indian PSU performer like HAL and give it to the private company led by Ambanis, this clearly leads to suspicion that HAL and its employees are been victimised. HAL is capable of bigger deeds and rolling out more number of fighter aircraft, but the Modi government is not interested as it wants to favour the private industry,' he alleged.

Mr Khrge said HAL had proven its capability in producing LCA Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter Dhruv and many other projects involving present overhaul of fighter jets in the Indian Air Force. 'But HAL is being denied and curbed to use its prowess. This is causing HAL thousands of crore rupees of loss. Rafale deal is the latest example. The country would have saved huge sums of foreign exchange had HAL had been given its due,' he said.