The Indian political ecosystem has become such that the opposition gets all juiced up the moment PM Modi discloses any sort of information. Going by their impulse the opposition today launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his announcement about the testing of an anti-satellite missile or A-SAT.
West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo took to Twitter to attack Modi in a series of tweets, saying it was “yet another limitless drama” by a “government past its expiry date”. She said that the announcement was nothing but a publicity stunt by the Prime Minister ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
Today’s announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap political benefits at the time of election. This is a gross violation of Model Code of Conduct. 3/4
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 27, 2019
Banerjee pursuing her aggression said that only one satellite was destroyed in the mission, which she says was unnecessary as it was lying there since long and there was no urgency as such to conduct the mission.
WB CM on #MissionShakti: It’s a political announcement, scientists should have announced it, it’s their credit. Only one satellite was destroyed, that wasn’t necessary, it was lying there since long, it’s the prerogative of scientists, when to do it. We will complain to the EC. pic.twitter.com/UV6CVyYIph
— Tv9 Gujarati (@tv9gujarati) March 27, 2019
She maintained that BJP has used this mission as “desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat”.
There is no great urgency in conducting and announcing the mission now by a government past its expiry date. It seems a desperate oxygen to save the imminent sinking of the BJP boat. We are lodging a complaint with the Election Commission. 4/4
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 27, 2019
Mamata Banerjee added that she would file a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging that this is a gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, in what could, unfortunately, unsettle the West Bengal chief minister, sources in the Election Commission has said that the government does not need any permission to announce matters related to national security even when the Model Code of Conduct is in place.
Mamata Banerjee is not the only one who has been thrown off balance since PM Modi announced that India had successfully tested its indigenously developed ASAT missiles.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was first off the block with his tweet.
Today @narendramodi got himself an hour of free TV & divert nation’s attention away from issues on ground — #Unemployment #RuralCrisis & #WomensSecurity — by pointing at the sky.
Congratulations @drdo_india & @isro — this success belongs to you. Thank you for making India safer.
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 27, 2019
Meanwhile, several leftists also kept the ball rolling to downplay the monumental magnitude of the announcement along expected lines. Congress loyalists took a step ahead to credit Jawaharlal Nehru instead of the scientists and the current political establishment for the spectacular achievement. Even the Congress President Rahul Gandhi chose to deride Prime Minister Modi while congratulating DRDO.
However, while the Congress politicians and Durbaris have attempted to downplay the entire achievement and claim credit for themselves, the former DRDO chief during the UPA regime has credited Narendra Modi for the success.
He stated, “But there were elements of technology in those days which were missing. And in the last four years, I would like to give the credit to Honourable Prime Minister Modi for giving DRDO scientists the clearance to build those building blocks which were missing and realize the ASAT system. Because of that kind of clearance and push, the DRDO scientists have been able to integrate today a very potent ASAT missile which is in a position to intercept a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite with high precision.”
It is indeed a huge achievement by DRDO and ISRO and a big statement. It is reflective of India’s growing stature in global politics under the current government that it could even dare to attempt such a thing.
Our scientists have been saying since 2010 that we have the requisite capabilities for developing ASAT missiles but clearly, it was the political will that was lacking.
With today’s successfull test if anti-satellite missile, India proudly becomes the 4th country after the USA, Russia and China to acquire the capability to take down satellites in space.
