BJP MP attacks Congress in LS for 'sabotaging' India's space mission

A BJP member on Tuesday launched an attack on the Congress, claiming that it sabotaged India's space programme at the behest of foreign countries when it was in power.

Initiating a special discussion on Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to be part of the International Space Station, Nishikant Dubey (BJP) accused the Congress of getting a top ISRO scientist arrested under influence of foreign countries, including the US, China and Pakistan, and damage India's space programme.

"We need to understand what is the reason that Congress does not want a discussion in the House on an issue like the space mission. There used to be an ISRO scientist in Kerala called Nambi Narayanan..the Congress government got him arrested through CBI in 1994 and sabotaged India's space mission in collusion with other countries such as US, China and Pakistan," Dubey claimed.

As opposition's protest over Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar being carried out by Election Commission continued, the Chair adjourned the proceedings till 4 pm.

On Monday, the special discussion had remained inconclusive following opening remarks by Union Minister Jitendra Singh due to din created by Opposition on the same issue.