New Delhi: Former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday took a dig at the PM Modi’s recent anti-satellite missile announcement and questioned the BJP government’s intention on this move.
Chidambaram said in a tweet that the capability to shoot a satellite had existed in the country for many years. But, “a wise government will keep the capability secret. Only a foolish government will disclose it and betray a defence secret,” he tweeted.
India on Thursday become the fourth nation in the world after US, China and Russia to demonstrate anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a satellite. In a special address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space superpowers.
The scale and timing of the announcement, a fortnight before the first phase of polling, had triggered a political slugfest with the opposition parties raising concerns with the Election Commission.
Chidambaram too followed suit and questioned the government’s intention with the announcement right before elections. “Why was it done now in the middle of an election campaign? Only to boost the sagging fortunes of the BJP,” he tweeted.
After a complaint was registered, the Election Commission on Wednesday had set up a committee under a deputy election commissioner to examine whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation on the anti-satellite missile test violated the Model Code of Conduct, which is in force for Lok Sabha polls.
In its response, the Election Commission, however, on Friday evening said the PM’s address did not violate the model code of conduct.