During his visit to Bengaluru to engage with ISRO scientists working on the Chandrayaan-3 mission, Prime Minister Narendra Modi explained that he had personally advised Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar not to greet him at the airport upon his arrival. This decision was based on the uncertainty of his arrival time after a long flight from the Greek capital, Athens.
Arriving at around 6 am in Bengaluru, directly from Athens, Prime Minister Modi intended to swiftly interact with the ISRO scientists before departing. He addressed a gathered crowd at the HAL airport, expressing his uncertainty about the exact arrival time and his desire to pay his respects to the ISRO team without imposing any airport formalities on them.
“I had requested them that when I pay a formal visit, they definitely follow protocol,” Modi stated, expressing gratitude for their cooperation.
The decision prompted political commentary, particularly from Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. On Friday, Ramesh claimed that Prime Minister Modi had prevented Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar from welcoming him at the HAL Airport, characterizing the move as an example of ‘petulant petty politics.’ Siddaramaiah had visited the Missions Operations Complex at ISTRAC and felicitated ISRO chief S Somanath and his team for the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission’s lander touchdown on the lunar surface.
Ramesh questioned the Prime Minister’s action, referring to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad in 2008 after the successful launch of Chandrayaan-I. Despite the political discourse, India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully achieved a historic landing on the lunar surface, marking a significant achievement for ISRO.
In the meantime, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced plans to organize a dedicated event to honor the ISRO team’s accomplishment. He visited the Missions Operations Complex at ISTRAC, congratulating S Somanath and his team for the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3’s Lander Module on the lunar surface.