A political controversy has erupted after the BJP’s Goa unit shared a social media post celebrating the successful launch of ISRO’s EOS-05 Earth observation satellite. Congress leader Pawan Khera criticised the graphic, alleging that it placed a representation of India’s national emblem beneath an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Khera said the use of the national emblem in such a manner was disrespectful to a national symbol. In a post on X, he argued that the emblem represents the Republic of India and should not be presented in a way that appears subordinate to any individual or political party.
“Placing a minimised, camouflaged image of our national emblem at the feet” of the Prime Minister was described by Khera as an insult to the national symbol. He also called for the incident to be widely condemned, including by members of the BJP.
Khera further demanded strict legal action against those responsible for creating and sharing the graphic. He stressed that no individual should be considered above the national emblem, which represents the country and its constitutional identity rather than the political interests of any party.
The controversy followed a post by the BJP’s Goa unit marking the successful launch of EOS-05. The graphic, titled “Bharat Spacemaxxing”, featured a stylised depiction of Prime Minister Modi seated in a meditative pose, with a rocket launch in the background. A small representation of the national emblem was placed near the bottom of the graphic.
The political row comes shortly after the successful launch of EOS-05 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The satellite was deployed into geosynchronous orbit from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Friday.
The mission was carried out using the GSLV-F17 rocket from the Second Launch Pad. EOS-05 is described as an advanced Earth observation spacecraft and is significant for its intended placement in a geosynchronous orbit. Its capabilities are expected to support repeated observations of large areas and provide useful information for areas including weather monitoring and agriculture.
The launch attracted significant public attention, with students, teachers and space enthusiasts gathering at the viewing area in Sriharikota despite rain.
While the satellite mission was hailed as another achievement for India’s space programme, the BJP’s celebratory social media graphic has now triggered a political dispute over the depiction and placement of the national emblem.
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