West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee speaks at a programme, at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, Monday, Aug 21, 2023.
Credit: PTI Photo
In what appears to be an unintended anomaly while speaking in the “flow”, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her speech, on Wednesday, said that when Indira Gandhi was the prime minister, she had sent humans to the Moon.
Banerjee, in fact, was referring to Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to have travelled in space.
People, who are familiar with Banerjee’s speeches, are familiar with the quick-paced sequence of ideas that figures in Banerjee’s speeches, usually. It’s the detractors in politics, however, who keenly watchout for any possible ‘flaw’.
“We were young, then. I remember that when they reached the Moon’s surface, Indira Gandhi had enquired Rakesh Roshan, that from there, from the sky, space, how it’s like to see India? They (cosmonauts) had responded, Sare Jahan Se Achhha Hindustan Hamara,” Banerjee said.
Banerjee, on behalf of the people of Bengal, and of India (this could also mean I.N.D.I.A, the alliance) congratulated ISRO scientists in advance, as she addressed people at a programme, before the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 had taken place.
“They will be successful this time. Let’s hope so. Our advance congratulations to them. Credit must go to the country. Credit must go to our scientists. Even from Bengal, there are some scientists. They are also working there. I congratulate team-India. I congratulate ISRO-India. I congratulate all the scientists, and the team. Let us celebrate this, in our own way,” Banerjee said.
She added that there should not be any “divisive politics”, and people stand united when it’s something that concerns the country. Banerjee offered the credit to those (scientists) who are working at the “grassroot-level”, and working round the clock, without even sleeping.
“This time, it’s not humans, but our instruments that have gone,” she said, highlighting and praising the hard work of ISRO-scientists.