On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the ruling DMK party in Tamil Nadu for an advertisement by a state minister promoting a new Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) spaceport. The advertisement featured an image of a rocket adorned with the Chinese flag symbol. Prime Minister Modi deemed this portrayal as "an insult to scientists."

The advertisement, reportedly issued by State Fisheries Minister Anita Radhakrishnan, was intended to celebrate the foundation stone being laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the ISRO spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam and highlight the efforts of former Chief Minister Karunanidhi and his son, the current Chief Minister MK Stalin in bringing the project to fruition. But it inadvertently showcased a computer-generated rocket emblazoned with the Chinese national flag.

"They (DMK) are not ready to see the development of India. They are not ready to see the development of India's space sector," the Prime Minister said while addressing an event in Tuticorin.

PM Modi said, “Who doesn't know that these people put their stickers on our schemes? Now they have crossed the limit. Annamalai was explaining to me that they have pasted stickers of China to take credit for the ISRO launch pad in Tamil Nadu."

"DMK is a party which does not work, but comes first to hoard credits. They give new names to our initiatives and call it theirs...Leaders of DMK are not willing to see the progress of India. They have insulted our scientists, the space sector and your tax money," PM Modi said.

PM Modi also criticised the DMK for giving "priority is its family" in politics. "On one side, you have the BJP government, focused on development. On the other hand, you have DMK and Congress whose only priority is their family. If you ask these family-centric parties about their plan for the development of Tamil Nadu, they won't have any answer," he said.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone for the second spaceport of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu. The project is estimated to cost ₹950 crore.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai took to social media to take a dig at the DMK government in Tamil for releasing the "controversial" ad in the newspaper. The advertisement was published ahead of Prime Minister Modi's visit to lay the foundation stone for the Kulasekarapattinam Spaceport.

In a lengthy post on X, the BJP leader said, "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," he added.

In defense of the state government, DMK MP Kanimozhi mentioned that she was unaware of the source of the picture and downplayed the significance of the Chinese flag in the advertisement. She argued that India has not officially declared China as an "enemy country."

The ruling DMK leader told news agency ANI, "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."

Image source: X