Mars - some nitpicking & all that...

In our secular Constitution there is no place for invoking God- of any religion. The reports say that the Chairman of ISRO went to a temple to offer prayers for the successful launch of Mangalyaan....I have no problem so long as he went in his personal capacity and not as the Chairman of ISRO.

Those suggesting that Rs.450 crores should have been better spent for upliftment of the poor are quite quiet on over Rs500/ crores of firecrackers having been burst two days earlier...and Rs. 250/ crores announced to be spent on erecting a statue of Sardar Patel adnd Rs.100/ crores to be spent on erecting Shivaji's statue...not to speak of the UP Elephant Park and statues of Nehru-Gandhi family members.

Even the CNN, in its broadcast conceded with amazement that the Indian scientists have pulled it off at a fraction of the cost at which the other countries did it.

I am sorry that the views of Shri Harsh Mander, an honest crusader for the poor whom I admire greatly, are unduly negative on this achievement. Similarly the comments made by an Ex-Chairman of ISRO (under whose command the Chandrayan was successfully sent) are, I am afraid, not in good taste.

Let us enjoy our minutes of glory...Bravo ISRO

Mera Bharat Mahaan!