NCP general secretary DP Tripathi on Thursday said Narendra Modi's address to the nation on India's successful test of the A-SAT missile was a "violation" of the model code of conduct
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an exclusive interview with Republic TV Bharat opened up, for the first time, about the oppositions’ attack on Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) missile.
“If small opposition parties make such mistakes, it can be overseen. But is a party like Congress do the same things, it is glaring. They have such big stalwarts, they should have consulted their people about the topic. However, from the statements they made it is evident that they don’t even have the basic knowledge,” said PM Modi.
NCP general secretary DP Tripathi on Thursday said Modi's address to the nation on India's successful test of the A-SAT missile was a "violation" of the model code of conduct.
The Prime Minister, in the interview, also dismissed the oppositions’ concern about the time for the announcement.
BSP chief Mayawati tweeted, “Congratulations to Indian defence scientists for the successful experiment of shooting down a satellite in space. But the prime minister playing politics under its garb for electoral gains is most condemnable.”
Reacting to such allegations, PM Modi said, “We have to function keeping the entire global community in mind. This was the time we got for testing A-SAT. It is nothing something you plan and do. It is something that you need to do immediately.”
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also said Modi's announcement was “limitless drama and publicity mongering”, amounting to “gross violation” of the model code of conduct.
She also accused the Prime Minister of making the announcement to “reap political benefits” and said her party will move the EC.
CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury wrote to the Election Commission, asking it why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was allowed to “politically colour” the achievements of Indian scientists in the midst of polls.
“Such a mission should normally be announced to the nation and to the world by the relevant scientific authorities like the DRDO. Instead, the Prime Minister has taken the route of an address to the nation in making this announcement,” Yechury said.
PM Modi, reacting to all these statement said, “If the countrymen hear the statement from opposition parties, they will release that the country remain safe in the hand of leaders who do not have the primary knowledge.”
India on Wednesday launched Mission Shakti - an anti-satellite missile test. India used indigenously made A-SAT for hitting the live satellite target, which was on a ‘Low Earth Orbit’ at a height of 300 kilometers from the earth’s surface. The test required an extremely high degree of precision and technical capability.
With PTI inputs
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