'DMK's ad is hilarious': PM Modi hits out over Chinese flag symbol on rocket

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday criticised Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK party over a state minister's ad for a new Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) spaceport which featured an image of a rocket with the Chinese flag symbol, saying it was "an insult to scientists".

"They (DMK) are not ready to see the development of India. They are not ready to see the development of India's space sector," the Prime Minister said while addressing an event in Tuticorin.

His remarks came after he laid the foundation stone for the new Isro spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam and also launched several infrastructure projects worth over Rs 17,000 crore in Tuticorin.

In his address, he alleged that the "DMK does not do any work, but takes false credit".

"They put their sticker on our schemes. To take credit for a new Isro launchpad, they have pasted a Chinese flag symbol. They are not ready to see the development of India. They are not ready to see the development of India's space sector," the Prime Minister said.

"The money you pay as taxes are being used to make advertisements. They have not put India's flag symbol. They do not want to show India's achievements in the space sector. They have insulted our scientists and you."

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai also condemned the ad, saying that this was a "manifestation of DMK’s commitment to China and their total disregard for our country’s sovereignty".

In a lengthy post on X, the BJP leader said, "DMK, a party flying high on corruption, has been desperate to paste stickers ever since the announcement of ISRO’s second launch pad in Kulasekarapatinam was released."

"The amount of desperation only proves their attempt to bury their past misdeeds, but we must remind them that DMK was why the Satish Dhawan Space Centre is today in Andhra Pradesh & not Tamil Nadu," he added.