Controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu over the appearance of ‘Chinese flag’ in an advertisement related to the new launch complex of ISRO i.e. Indian Space Research Organisation.
Now a day after this, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and Fisheries Minister Anita R Radhakrishnan said on Thursday that it was the designer’s mistake.
The minister, who gave the advertisement on behalf of her party, insisted that it was merely a mistake and the DMK had no other intention.
He said, ‘There was a small mistake in the advertisement. We have no other intention. There is only love for India in our hearts.
Radhakrishnan said that it is his party’s stand that India should remain united and there should be no scope for conflict on the basis of caste or religion in the country.
Radhakrishnan said late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi was the first to raise the demand for a new ISRO launch complex at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu.
Besides, Chief Minister MK Stalin and Lok Sabha member from Thoothukudi Kanimozhi had urged the Center to set up a launch complex in the state, he told reporters.
The minister said that is why it was decided to place an advertisement (in dailies) to highlight the efforts made by DMK leaders to bring the project to Tamil Nadu.
He said that the ad designers made a mistake that they did not notice. However, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister L Murugan demanded that the DMK apologize to the people for publishing that advertisement.
On DMK’s stand that the reference to ‘China’ was a mistake, Murugan said, ‘It is our duty to put the Indian flag (in the advertisement) and they (DMK) should apologize to the people. The country’s achievements in space technology and the new ISRO campus in Tamil Nadu are the pride of the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid the foundation stone of ISRO’s new launchpad at Kulasekarapattinam near here, which will cost about Rs 986 crore and when ready, 24 launches will be carried out from here every year.
Addressing a BJP rally, Modi had alleged that the DMK government does not work but only takes ‘false credit’ and pastes its ‘stickers’ on central schemes.
He said, ‘Now he has crossed all limits. They have put a China sticker to take credit for the ISRO launch complex in Tamil Nadu.
This is an insult to our country, an insult to our patriotic space scientists. The people of Tamil Nadu will punish DMK for this.
Later, in a post on the social media platform ‘X’, the Prime Minister had said, ‘Today’s advertisement of DMK is ridiculous. He has insulted Indian science and the Indian space sector, for which he should apologize.