Rahul Gandhi to address HAL employees on October 13

Stepping up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, Congress president Rahul Gandhi will meet Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) employees on October 13 here.

Confirming the news, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Eshwar Khandre told ANI, "Rahul Gandhi is visiting Bengaluru on October 13. He will meet the official and the workers of the HAL to motivate them."

Khandre described the HAL as the 'pride' of the nation and informed that the Gandhi scion would praise their capacity and capability.

Accusing Prime Minister Modi of making false promises on the Rs 58, 000 crores Rafale deal, the Congress leader informed that Gandhi would also take part in a rally being organsied in the city on the fighter aircraft deal.

Gandhi has time and again alleged that the Prime Minister Modi-led government opted to make Reliance Defence the Offset partner in the controversial Rafale deal, thus ousting the government-run HAL from it.

The Congress has been alleging irregularities in the deal signed between India and France in 2016 under Prime Minister Modi's government to buy 36 Rafale jets. The party alleged that the Modi government has been procuring each aircraft at a cost of over Rs 1,670 crore as against Rs 526 crore finalised by the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in 2012.