Sitaram Yechury writes to ECI on Modi’s announcement on the achievements of Indian Scientists

Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) has written to the Chief Election Commissioner, Election Commission of India drawing his attention to the announcement made by Prime Minister through an address to the nation on the achievements of Indian scientists.  We are releasing the text of the letter for publication.

(Hari Singh Kang)

For CPI(M) Central Committee office

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Dear Shri Arora ji,

I am constrained to write to you to draw your attention to the announcement of yet another achievement of our scientists by the Prime Minister through an address to the nation during the course of the ongoing election campaign.

At the outset, the CPI(M) would like to place on record its deep sense of appreciation that the Indian scientists have achieved another success in developing, testing and targeting a low earth orbit satellite.  That India had developed this capability was announced by the then Chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in 2012. Following the successes of India’s anti-ballistic missile defence programme and the Agni series of missiles, this capability was incorporated into the anti-satellite weapon development programme.   We are sure that in the coming days, Indian scientists will reach at greater heights of targeting hostile satellites in regular space orbits as well.  These achievements fill the country with pride.  Congratulations to our scientists.

Such a mission should normally be announced to the nation and to the world by the relevant scientific authorities like the DRDO.  Instead, the Indian Prime Minister has taken the route of an address to the nation in making this announcement.

This announcement comes in the midst of the ongoing election campaign where the Prime Minister himself  is a candidate.  This is clearly a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

I would like to know that if the Election Commission was informed of such an address to the nation by the Prime Minister and did the Election Commission consider and permit such an address to the nation by the Prime Minister?

I am sure that the entire country would like to know the special reasons why the Election Commission permitted the achievements of Indian scientists to be politically coloured during the course of the general elections.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely

Sd/-

(Sitaram Yechury)

General Secretary