Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing “bad luck” to the Chandrayaan 2 mission after the mission’s Vikram lander lost contact with space agency ISRO upon landing on the Moon.
Speaking at a public gathering in Mysuru, the former CM had claimed that PM Modi had to come to Bengaluru to take credit for ISRO scientists’ work.
On September 7, Prime Minister Modi arrived ISRO’s ground centre at Bengaluru to witness the moon mission’s Vikram lander soft-land on the lunar surface.
Meanwhile, the JD(S) leader alleged that Narendra Modi ignored Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and his assistants by not inviting them to visit the ISRO Centre.
Kumaraswamy went on to criticize PM Narendra Modi of trying to take credit for the India’s biggest moon mission from the ISRO scientists who had sincerely worked on the project for around 10 to 12 years.
He said, “PM Modi came to Bengaluru a few days ago for the Chandrayaan 2 as if he did everything for it. The scientists worked hard for 10-12 years and approval was given by the cabinet for the same in 2009, PM Modi came to take credit for the sake of advertisement and publicity.”
“Once he stepped in ISRO Centre, I think it became bad luck for scientists. I also got information that the CM and other leaders who had gone were sent away by PM Modi by the snap of his fingers, suggesting there was no need of them being there,” Kumaraswamy said.
It was on Sunday, ISRO released a statement that Chandrayaan 2’s orbiter – which is still in orbit around the moon – had spotted Vikram lander on Moon’s surface and that it had not been destroyed after not-so-smooth landing. The the space agency is yet to establish proper contact with the lander but had later conceded that the communication was lost with Vikram lander just 335 metres above lunar’s surface and not 2.1 km.
Meanwhile, besides Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) is also known to be making efforts to set up a contact with Vikram lander that is lying on the moon since September 7.
