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In 2019, Rahul Gandhi had cornered the Modi government over HAL’s performance but when defence PSUs, including HAL, were discussed in the defence committee, he was missing
Rahul Gandhi is known for showing solidarity with ex-servicemen but was missing from meetings concerning them. (PTI)
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has been absent from 80 per cent meetings of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence, of which he is a member, in the 18th Lok Sabha, Parliament records reveal.
Gandhi has been vocal about raising defence-related issues—be it demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s explanation after US President Donald Trump made a vague remark about five jets being downed during Operation Sindoor or his anti-Rafale campaign ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election. However, when it comes to his attendance where it matters, it’s a poor 2 out of 10 meetings so far.
Some of these meetings saw extremely serious discussions—for instance, on November 21 last year, when Oral Evidence by the representatives of the Ministry of Defence for Examination of Demands for Grants (2024-25) on ‘General Defence Budget’ was recorded. Right capital outlay on defence services and procurement policy and defence planning keeps any nation battle-ready, which was also discussed the day Gandhi was missing.
On January 9 this year, the committee convened again with the agenda to get a briefing from the representatives of the Ministry of Defence so the members can review the working of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in creating infrastructure in strategic locations and border areas. Gandhi was absent from this meeting as well.
On February 18, Defence Ministry personnel briefed on Defence Public Sector Undertakings like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, Goa Shipyard Limited, Bharat Dynamics Limited, Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited, BEML Limited, Hindustan Shipyard Limited, and Directorate of Ordnance (Coordination and Services), among others. Gandhi was not present at this meeting as well.
In 2019, ahead of the Lok Sabha election, the Congress leader had claimed that the prime minister had “weakened” HAL. “That HAL does not have money to even pay salaries should not come as a surprise to anyone,” Gandhi had said in a Facebook post back then. Ironically, when defence PSUs, including HAL, were discussed, Gandhi was missing.
The RM (Rafale Minister) tasked with defending corruption has been caught lying again. The former HAL Chief, T S Raju, has nailed her lie, that HAL didn’t have the capability to build the RAFALE. Her position is untenable & she must resign. https://t.co/7mKXV5wo8x— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 20, 2018
The same meeting also discussed defence pensions—a topic once championed by Gandhi while criticising the Agnipath scheme. “A normal jawan will be entitled to pension for all his life… but those with Agniveer tag will not get pension…which means money has been snatched from Agniveer’s pocket…,” Gandhi had alleged in Haryana’s Ambala during a political rally.
On April 28 this year, there was an important meeting of the committee that listened to oral evidence of the representatives of the Ministry of Defence on their review of resettlement policies, healthcare facilities and avenues for ex-servicemen.
Gandhi is known for showing solidarity with ex-servicemen. In 2019, he promised that Congress would allow qualified ex-servicemen lateral entry into the civil services. In 2022, he alleged the Modi government was adopting ‘All Rank, No Pension’. “The government should give the pension to ex-servicemen at the earliest,” he had passionately argued back then. But, on April 28, Gandhi was absent.
There were other dates for the meetings of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence as well, when the LoP did not turn up. However, he did attend the meeting on February 17, 2025, and October 15, 2024. On February 17, oral evidence of the Defence Ministry representative were presented on General Defence Budget, Department of Military Affairs (DMA) and Ministry of Defence (Civil), Capital Outlay on Defence Services, Procurement Policy and Defence Planning, Army, Air Force, Navy, Joint Staff, Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE), Border Roads Organization (BRO). But since October 15, 2024, the first sitting of the committee, there was hardly anything substantial done apart from chalking out the future plan for the committee.
Why Rahul Gandhi attended just 20 per cent of the committee sittings is a question the Congress hasn’t answered so far. News18 has reached out to the Congress leadership and is awaiting a response.
However, BJP national spokesperson—and former Congress leader—Shehzad Poonawala called him the “Pinocchio of Indian politics”, highlighting the contradictions in his statements.
“Right from HAL to LIC, to SBI to Rafale—he keeps lying. He keeps making immature statements that aren’t founded in facts, and he targets Indian institutions. He tried to block the procurements of Rafale by making unfounded allegations, lied about the SC and was fact-checked by it. He lied about India losing territory to China in Ladakh and was fact-checked by the armed forces. Now, it is evident he does not do so out of any genuine concern because he does not attend the Defence Parliamentary Committee meetings. Rahul Gandhi is bound by the Chinese MoU that his family has signed with the Chinese leadership,” Poonawala told News18.
Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in …Read More
Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in … Read More
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