Vol. XLIII No. 13 March 31, 2019
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Modi is Rattled and Desperate

ON March 27, Sitaram Yechury, general secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) has written to the Chief Election Commissioner, Election Commission of India drawing his attention to the announcement made by prime minister through an address to the nation on the achievements of Indian scientists. 

Sitaram has written that the address is a violation of the model code of conduct. He has expressed his utmost displeasure and asked whether the election commission was informed of such an address. He has further said that the entire country would like to know the reasons why EC permitted the achievements of Indian scientists to be politically coloured during the course of the general elections.

While appreciating the Indian scientists in the same letter he welcomed the success achieved by them. The present successful one being the testing and targeting a low earth orbit satellite. He further stressed that the capability was however developed and announced by the then chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) in 2012 itself.

Following the successes of India’s anti-ballistic missile defence programme and the Agni series of missiles, this capability was incorporated into the anti-satellite weapon development programme.   Sitaram in the letter stated that “We are sure that in the coming days, Indian scientists will reach at greater heights of targeting hostile satellites in regular space orbits as well.  These achievements fill the country with pride.  Congratulations to our scientists.”

Such a mission should normally be announced to the nation and to the world by the relevant scientific authorities like the DRDO.  Instead, the Indian PM has taken the route of an address to the nation in making this announcement. This announcement comes in the midst of the ongoing election campaign where the prime minister himself is a candidate.  This is clearly a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.