Digvijaya Singh cites reports to claim scientists in Chandrayaan-3 mission have not received salaries for 17 months; BJP says ‘fake news’

Bhopal: Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday sparked a new controversy by claiming that "Scientists involved in Chandrayaan-3 mission have not received their salary for 17 months." 

“We are proud that ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) scientists are striving for the successful landing of Chandrayaan on the Moon. We pray to God for their success. But there are reports in the newspapers that the scientists who have done this have not received their salaries for 17 months," the Congress leader claimed while speaking to ANI here in the state capital Bhopal. 

"The Prime Minister should pay attention to this as well,” Singh added. 

Meanwhile, while responding to Digvijay Singh's comments, BJP state president, VD Sharma, said, “...Digvijaya Singh is trying to defame the country...Everyone is proud of Chandrayaan-3 and our scientists while he questioning it." 

"He should pray for the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon," Sharma added. 
Hitting out at Congress leader, BJP's national IT cell in-charge, Amit Malviya said, “The abominable Digvijay Singh called out for peddling #FakeNews on the day ISRO is all set to make India proud." 

"Congress hates Prime Minister Modi, but it hates a strong resurgent India even more, because a confident India will never vote for the Congress. While India celebrates Chandrayaan-3, Congress whines,” Malviya said in a post on 'X', formally Twitter. 
Meanwhile, special worship and prayers have been performed for the successful lunar landing of Chandrayaan-3 across the state. A special ‘Bhasma Aarti’ was performed at Mahakaleshwar temple situated in Ujjain district on Wednesday early morning. 
Special worship and ‘Rudrabhishek’ were performed by Vedic Brahmins at Maa Vaishno Dham Adarsh Nava Durga Temple in the state capital Bhopal. 

Similarly, a large number of devotees arrived at Bageshwar Dham situated in the Chhatarpur district to offer special prayers for the same. A special‘Havan Pujan’ was also performed at Khajrana Ganesh Temple in Indore. 
According to ISRO, Chandrayaan-3 is all set to land on the Moon on Wednesday at around 18:04 hrs IST.