‘Happy Birthday To Stalin In His Favourite Language’: BJP Hits Back Hard Over ISRO Ad

The development comes amid a row over an advertisement related to ISRO’s new launch complex in Tamil Nadu that featured a ‘Chinese flag’

BJP wishes Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin on his birthday in Mandarin. Development comes amid row over ISRO ad that had ‘Chinese flag’ The ad has led to war of words between BJP, DMK

The BJP on Friday took a dig at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin by wishing him on his birthday in Mandarin amid a row over an advertisement related to Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) new launch complex that featured a ‘Chinese flag’.

“On behalf of Tamil Nadu BJP, here’s wishing our Honourable CM Thiru MK Stalin a happy birthday in his favourite language! May he live a long and healthy life!” the BJP tweeted.

The development comes amid a war of words between the DMK and the BJP after a newspaper advertisement by a Tamil Nadu minister on ISRO’s upcoming spaceport at Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district sported a rocket with a Chinese flag.

The advertisement appeared in all leading dailies on Wednesday ahead of the foundation stone-laying event of the spaceport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The DMK leader who issued the ad, Fisheries Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan, said it was a gaffe by the designer and the party had no other intentions.

However, the DMK came under heavy fire from the BJP, with PM Modi accusing the party of disregarding India’s success in space technology and demanding an apology.

Addressing a rally in Tirunelveli on Wednesday, PM Modi said, “Now they have crossed the limit. They have pasted the sticker of China to take credit for the ISRO launchpad in Tamil Nadu. This is an insult to our space scientists, the space sector, your tax money and you (the country).”

The DMK shot back, accusing the Prime Minister of turning a “blind eye” to Chinese incursions along the Line of Control in eastern Ladakh.

“The Prime Minister can see the Chinese flag in a paper ad with hawk eye vision, yet, has turned a blind eye in the past 10 years to reports of the Chinese flag being unfurled in Indian territory,” DMK MP P Wilson tweeted.