PM's announcement of anti-sat missile is to create fear psychosis in voters ahead of polls: CPI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to create fear psychosis in the minds of voters through warmongering, CPI leader D Raja said Wednesday, alleging that his announcement on 'Mission Shakti' showed his "desperation and panic".

"He has politicised the achievements of the scientists, taken credit for it and used public broadcasting to do so. This is definitely a violation of the model code of conduct (for the Lok Sabha elections). The EC should take action immediately.

"Also, he is trying to create a fear psychosis in the minds of the people ahead of the elections and is (resorting to) warmongering. This shows that they are desperate and panicky," Raja said.

However, sources in the Election Commission have said that issues related to national security and disaster management do not fall under the ambit of the model code of conduct.

India shot down one of its satellites in space on Wednesday with an anti-satellite missile to demonstrate this complex capability, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced, making it only the fourth country to have used such a weapon.

Declaring India has established itself as a global space power after the success of the operation 'Mission Shakti', Modi said the missile hit a live satellite flying in a Low Earth Orbit after it traversed a distance of almost 300 km from earth within three minutes of its launch.