Opposition parties hail DRDO, slam PM Modi

New Delhi: A political slugfest broke out on Wednesday over the anti-satellite missile (ASAT) test, with the Opposition parties accusing the Narendra Modi government of trying to play politics with ASAT and trying to divert the nation’s attention from burning issues “on the ground” like unemployment, the rural crisis and women’s safety “by pointing at the sky”.Reacting to this and the Op-position’s reaction, including the Congress’, the BJP took a dig saying while the ASAT missile was “successfully tested in space, but it seems a few people on earth have also got hurt”.

As the Congress credited itself and the erstwhile UPA government for the country’s space mission and this achievement, the BJP accused the Congress and the UPA government of not granting scientists permission to build the country’s own anti-satellite missile, saying it lacked “capability and clarity”.

After Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted: “Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day”; BJP president Amit Shah said: “Thus speaks the inheritor of the dynasty that thinks — all the nation’s a stage! For them: Sacrifices of soldiers — drama... Success of scientists — drama ... Masquerading as leaders, all that ‘The Dynasty’ has done is to plunder, weaken and ruin the nation.”

West Bengal chief minister and Trinamul supremo Mamata Banerjee said: “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 the Model Code of Conduct.”