TN's ISRO ad featuring Chinese flag | DMK has insulted Indian space sector: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (February 28) criticised the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu after a state minister’s advertisement on ISRO appeared in newspapers with a rocket bearing China’s flag.

The advertisement features pictures of PM Modi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, among others and in the background there is a rocket with the Chinese flag. The advertisement by DMK minister Thiru Anita Radhakrishnan appeared in Tamil dailies on Wednesday.

What is the ad about

The advertisement is about the new Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) rocket launch site in Kulasekarapattinam town in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district.

PM Modi on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for a new launch complex of ISRO at Kulasekarapattinam, which is worth about Rs 986 crore and the facility is set to accommodate 24 launches per year.

He also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth about Rs 17,300 crore in Thoothukudi.

PM demands DMK's apology

Speaking at a public rally in Tirunelveli, PM Modi sought an apology from the DMK for insulting Indian science and the nation’s space sector. He termed the advertisement “hilarious”.

“DMK’s advertisement today is hilarious. They have insulted Indian science and the Indian space sector, for which they must apologise,” Modi captioned the video clip of his speech on his X (Twitter) account.

“DMK is such a party which doesn’t do any work but goes ahead to take false credit. Who doesn’t know that these people put their stickers on our schemes? Now they have crossed the limit, they have pasted stickers of China to take credit for the ISRO launch pad in Tamil Nadu. The DMK politicians can’t see anything, and you know what you call such people,” Modi said in his speech.

“They are not ready to see the progress of India's space and with the taxes that you pay, they give advertisements and do not even include a picture of India's space in it. They have insulted our scientists, our space sector, tax-paying people. The time has come to punish the DMK,” he added.

Annamalai attacks DMK

Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai too attacked the DMK over the advertisement bearing Chinese flag.

“This advertisement by DMK Minister Thiru Anita Radhakrishnan to leading Tamil dailies today is a manifestation of DMK’s commitment to China & their total disregard for our country’s sovereignty,” Annamalai wrote along with the photo of the advertisement.

“DMK, a party flying high on corruption, has been desperate to paste stickers ever since the announcement of ISRO’s second launch pad in Kulasekarapatinam was released.

“The amount of desperation only proves their attempt to bury their past misdeeds, but we must remind them that DMK was why the Satish Dhawan Space Centre is today in Andhra Pradesh & not Tamil Nadu.

“When the 1st launch pad of ISRO was conceptualised, TN was the first choice of ISRO. TN CM Thiru Annadurai, who could not attend the meeting because of severe shoulder pain, deputed Mathiyazhagan, one of his ministers, for the meeting,” he added.

Further, he wrote, “ISRO officials were kept waiting for a long, and Mathiyazhagan was finally brought to the meeting in an “inebriated state” & was incoherent throughout the meeting. And, this was the treatment our country’s space programme received 60 years ago. DMK hasn't changed much & has only become worse!”

DMK MP Kanimozhi defends ad

DMK MP Kanimozhi, when questioned about the advertisement, said, “I don’t know from where the person who did the artwork, found this picture from. I don’t think India has declared China as an enemy country. I have seen that the Prime Minister has invited the Chinese PM and they have gone to Mahabalipuram. Just because you do not want to accept the truth, you are finding reasons to divert the issue…”