The Telugu Desam veteran and former minister, Mr Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu, noted that the Union government was neglecting the defence capability of India by purchasing second rate equipment from other countries.

Talking to members of the media, here on Thursday, Mr Ayyanna Patrudu said, “They (Union Government) are weakening our defence capability by purchasing, helicopters and equipment which are way past their shelf life.”

Mr Patrudu added, “six choppers were bought recently by the Union government at a cost of Rs 180 crore. The choppers were commissioned by the US Navy in 1962-65 and were decommissioned in 2005.”

Mr Patrudu alleged that by purchasing such sub-standard equipment, the government was jeopardising the lives of Indian soldiers and compromising the nation’s defence capabilities. On the issue of low quality rations being supplied to soldiers, Mr Ayyanna Patrudu pointed out that 11,330 samples that were tested turned out to have gone past their expiry date.

Mr Vasapalli Ganesh Kumar also attended the meet. The Telugu Desam would submit memos to the Prime Minister, Union defence minister and the district collector of Visakhapatnam on Saturday.