Why did EC allow PM, asks CPI(M) as Modi announces anti-sat missile

In the letter, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury lauded the scientists for developing anti-satellite weapon A-SAT and said the fact that India had developed this capability was announced by then chief of the DRDO in 2012.

In the letter, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury lauded the scientists for developing anti-satellite weapon A-SAT and said the fact that India had developed this capability was announced by then chief of the DRDO in 2012. (Photo by DIPTENDU DUTTA / AFP)

New Delhi: The CPI(M) on Wednesday wrote to the Election Commission, asking it why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was allowed to "politically colour" the achievements of Indian scientists in midst of the national polls. In the letter, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury lauded the scientists for developing anti-satellite weapon A-SAT and said the fact that India had developed this capability was announced by then chief of the DRDO in 2012. "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," Yechury said.

Comrade @SitaramYechury 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. https://t.co/MF58sH1r31

— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) March 27, 2019

"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," he added. echury sought to know if the Election Commission was informed of such an address to the nation by the prime minister. 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," he said.