PM coming to watch Chandayaan-2 landing at ISRO a 'gimmick': HD Kumaraswamy

Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday said that the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) headquarters in Bengaluru during the launch of Chandrayaan-2 was an "advertisement gimmick".

"The Prime Minister came to Bengaluru to give a message that he himself was landing Chandrayaan-2, scientists worked hard on the project for 10 to 12 years. The money was released for Chandrayaan-2 in 2008-2009. He came just for the sake of advertisement," Kumaraswamy said at a press conference here.

The former Karnataka chief minister added, "Once he stepped in ISRO centre, I think it became bad luck for scientists."

Kumaraswamy alleged that the Prime Minister had not met the incumbent Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and other ministers upon his arrival in Bengaluru but had gone alone to ISRO for "mileage".

"I have the information that on the day the Prime Minister landed, the Chief Minister his deputy and some of the other ministers went to receive him but he sent all of them back and went to ISRO alone for the mileage. This is what the condition of Karnataka which they are representing," Kumaraswamy alleged.

Modi had reached ISRO headquarters in the early hours of Saturday to witness the soft landing of Chandrayaan-2 on the moon surface around 20 minutes before the historic event.

He was received by ISRO Chairman K Sivan, former ISRO Chairman K Kasturirangan and other scientists also welcomed him. The Prime Minister was scheduled to watch the final descent of Chandrayaan-2 with over 60 high school students who had cleared an online space quiz last month.

Boosting the morale of scientists of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) after the space agency lost communication with Chandrayaan-2's lander, Vikram, Modi said that India stands in solidarity with them and the country believes that best is yet to come.