New Delhi: The opposition parties on Wednesday objected to Prime Minister Modi’s ‘theatrics on television’ and some parties, including Trinamul, CPM and BSP, complained to the Election Commission, alleging violation of the model code in force.
They said the Defence Research Development Organisation could have announced the achievement instead of Prime Minister Modi trying to take the credit in national telecast. The Election Commission, however, refused to take cognizance of the complaints pouring in from various parties, even as one of its officials went on record to say that the issues relating to national security and disaster management do not fall within the ambit of the model code.
In a counter attack, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley accused the erstwhile UPA government of restraining the scientists and not allowing them to build an anti-satellite missile. BJP President Amit Shah said what the scientists could not do during the UPA regime – as it lacked courage to back its institutions — has become possible because of PM Modi’s conviction to do so.
“The Anti-Satellite Missile was successfully tested in space but it seems a few people on Earth have also got hurt,” he tweeted sarcastically. Mamata Banerjee asked the EC to act on this “gross violation” of the model code to “reap political benefits, while CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechuri demanded why the PM was allowed to infuse “politically colour” into the achievements of the scientists, particularly when he is himself a candidate.
“There is no great urgency in conducting and announcing the mission now, by a government past its expiry date. It seems like a desperate dose of oxygen to save the imminent collapse of the BJP,” Mamata said in Kolkata. Yechuri said: “Such a mission should normally be announced to the nation and to the world by the scientific authorities.
” BSP supremo Mayawati accused Modi of playing politics over India’s anti-satellite missile capability and asked the EC to take cognizance of this condemnable attempt for electoral gains.
Her alliance partner and Samajwadi Party boss Akhilesh Yadav tweeted: “Modi got himself an hour of free TV time and diverted nation’s attention from issues on the ground –unemployment, rural crisis and women’s security — by pointing at the sky.”The jury is still out.
