BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called out estranged brother Tehseen Poonawalla after Tehseen on a YouTube channel claimed that the government did not pay the scientists of the Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) salary for three months. The claim was fact-checked by PIB and termed as fake. Tehseen, a Congress loyalist, clarified that engineers and people below the rank did not get salaries for three months. The 'crime' does not get reduced if engineers who worked on Chandrayaan 3, and not Isro scientists, are deprived of their salaries, Tehseen said.
"Now, that you have accepted that it was not ISRO SCIENTISTS but allegedly some engineers WHO ARE NOT FROM ISRO - the more honourable thing to do, is to just apologise to ISRO & PM @narendramodi ji… I know you won’t. Nor will your congress Jamaat.." Shehzad tweeted.
The Poonawalla brothers have had a strained relationship since 2017 -- the time when Shehzad, then a Congress office bearer, questioned the party's presidential election process and called it a sham. Later on, Shehzad joined the BJP and was elevated to the position of national spokesperson. The two estranged brothers take part in television debates together though they are not on talking terms, as they claimed.
{{/usCountry}}The Poonawalla brothers have had a strained relationship since 2017 -- the time when Shehzad, then a Congress office bearer, questioned the party's presidential election process and called it a sham. Later on, Shehzad joined the BJP and was elevated to the position of national spokesperson. The two estranged brothers take part in television debates together though they are not on talking terms, as they claimed.
{{/usCountry}}On Wednesday, social media platform Twitter, now known as X, witnessed an acrimonious fight between Shehzad and Tehseen over Tehseen's Isro claim. "For me my nation is first. Family last - ALWAYS. Even if my own family spreads fake news about ISRO & INDIA - I will call them out," Shehzad wrote.
Tehseen reacted to the PIB fact check and clarified that his context in the interview was non-payment of salaries to professionals.
“Dear @PIBFactCheck : firstly thank you for the correction that it is NOT scientists. However you are still skating on thin ice- cause the context of the particular conversation was NON PAYMENT! So it's not scientist but engineers associated with ISRO from a GOVT PSU ! As if that REDUCED the CRIME!! Are these news items attached below also not true ?” Tehseen posted.
Tehseen Poonawalla is a venture capitalist, political analyst, and a television personality. He is married to jewellery designer Monicka Vadera, a cousin of businessman Robert Vadra, husband of Priyanka Gandhi.