Govt squandered assets of PSUs to favour select few, alleges Ahmed Patel

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Saturday accused the Modi government of "squandering" the assets of public sector undertakings such as HAL and ONGC to "favour a select few".

"HAL is borrowing Rs 1000 cr because it can't even pay salaries?" Patel tweeted.

His tweet came after a media report claimed defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, grappling with low finances, has been forced to borrow money to pay salaries to its employees.

"Not just HAL; be it ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation), LIC (Life Insurance Corporation), HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited), GSPC (Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation) or any other PSU this Government has squandered their assets to favour a select few," the senior Congress leader said.

The Congress has also been alleging that the government favoured Anil Ambani's firm over HAL in the Rafale aircraft deal. The government as well as Ambani have rejected all such allegations.