TMC MP's ‘crashed’ remark on Tejas fighter jet after PM Modi's sortie sparks row. BJP demands his expulsion from party
Prime Minister Modi undertook a sortie in the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. It was for the first time that an Indian PM undertook a fighter aircraft sortie.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday lashed out at Trinamool Congress MP Santanu Sen over his remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sortie in Tejas aircraft during his visit to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL) to review the ongoing work at its manufacturing facilities.
On Saturday, TMC MP Santanu Sen while speaking to ANI had expressed apprehensions that the Tejas jet could be crashed after PM Modi had flew in it.
“I'm a little bit afraid when Mr Narendra Modi was very much there in the country, the ISRO failed. When Kangana Ranaut met Narendra Modi, her movie became a super flop,” Sen told ANI.
“When Virat Kohli shook hands with Narendra Modi, he didn't get a century for 3 consecutive years. And finally, after winning 10 consecutive matches in the recently held World Cup, just because our Prime Minister went to that stadium, India got defeated in the final...I'm afraid that in no time this particular aircraft gets crashed,” he added.
In Pics: PM Modi takes sortie on Tejas aircraft
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla hit back, demanding expulsion of the TMC leader from his party over the remark. “While hating Modi and the BJP, today you are hating India's military and Indian Air Force so much that you are wishing them death. You are wishing for a crash of Tejas fighter jet,” he said.
“What has happened to Trinamool Congress? Mamata Banerjee, if you have even an ounce of patriotism and morality, you should expel Santanu Sen from the party with immediate effect,” Poonawalla added.
On November 25, the prime minister undertook a sortie in the homegrown Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. It was for the first time that an Indian prime minister undertook a fighter aircraft sortie, as per the Indian Air Force (IAF).
“Successfully completed a sortie on the Tejas.The experience was incredibly enriching, significantly bolstering my confidence in our country's indigenous capabilities, and leaving me with a renewed sense of pride and optimism about our national potential,” the prime minister had posted on social media platform X.