Moon mission credit war rocks Haryana assembly

Monsoon session gets off to rocky start as state home minister Anil Vij and Congress legislature party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda lock horns over Nehru’s vision vs Modi’s role in ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 success

While the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) released the much-anticipated video of Pragyan rover leaving the Indian emblem imprint on the lunar surface on Friday, BJP and Congress leaders in the Haryana assembly fought over who should be credited with the moon mission’s success.

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar addressing the opening day of the monsoon session of the assembly in Chandigarh on Friday. (HT Photo)

The opening day of the monsoon session of the assembly in Chandigarh witnessed noisy scenes after chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar read out a resolution congratulating ISRO scientists and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Khattar went a step ahead and mentioned that Haryana-origin scientists were also a part of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. “It is a matter of immense pride. Important material used in the project was prepared in Rohtak and Rewari,” he said.

Though the Congress, the principal opposition party, supported the resolution, it said what ISRO achieved was the result of steps taken by successive prime ministers and that the role of the first PM, Jawaharlal Nehru, must be acknowledged. Congress legislature party (CLP) leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said: “All prime ministers starting from Nehru have played a major role in what ISRO has done.”

At this, state home minister Anil Vij stood up and asked Hooda to thank PM Modi. Vij wanted to know why Hooda was hesitating to applaud Modi.

This led to pandemonium in the House as members of both parties raised slogans. The Congress MLAs reiterated Nehru’s role in ISRO’s success.

Speaker Gian Chand Gupta intervened and asked Vij to stop arguing and sit down. But Hooda and Vij kept sparring. Gupta was up on his feet and asked Vij to sit down. A visibly upset Vij walked out of the House.

Members from both sides finally stood up and passed a resolution applauding ISRO’s achievement.

On Vij’s absence during Question Hour, the Speaker said: “There is some confusion. I did not ask minister Anil Vij to go out of the House. I will request him to return. He should be in the House.”

The chief minister deputed deputy Speaker Ranbir Singh Gangwa to pacify Vij, who was sitting in the assembly complex adjoining the House.

Finally at 12.40pm, Vij returned to the House with Gangwa.