JP Nadda slams UPA over scams in defence purchases

Sirsa (Haryana): BJP national president J P Nadda on Sunday lashed out at the previous UPA government, accusing it of corruption in the purchase of defence equipment.

Addressing people during a 'Pragati Rally' here, he praised the Narendra Modi-led NDA government for the defence purchases made in the recent past and claimed that under the previous governments, soldiers even lacked bullet-proof jackets.

"Before the Modi government came to power, no major defence equipment, including aeroplanes, were purchased. And when they went to purchase these, there were scams, be it helicopters, submarines, aircraft or machine guns. During the previous UPA rule, there were scams after scams," he said.

"During our time, 36 Rafale fighter aircraft, 28 Apache and 15 Chinook helicopters have been inducted into the defence fleet...," the BJP leader claimed in a rally organised by Independent MLA and state Power Minister Ranjit Singh Chautala.

"Our soldiers did not have bullet-proof jackets and now 1.86 lakh of them have got it and we are exporting these jackets now, which shows how much progress India has made. Five lakh AK 203 modern assault rifles have been purchased to better equip our soldiers. I am saying all this to apprise you of the steps we have taken for our soldiers," he said.

Nadda also claimed it was the Modi government at the Centre which fulfilled the long-pending demand of one rank, one pension over which the Congress "only indulged in politics".

Claiming that their focus was only on development of people, Nadda said earlier governments promoted only individuals.

"For a long time, various governments ruled but never before anyone did a pragati rally. Rallies were held to promote a particular individual or a leader.. but here we talk of pragati (progress) of people. In other governments, pragati meant the progress of a leader," he said, adding that their aim was the welfare farmers, poor and Dalits.