Viral Claim: Prashant Bhushan circulates information stating “ISRO, DRDO&HAL set up by Nehru in the 50s to make India self-reliant in Space, Aircraft&Defence technology. The anti-satellite missile was developed&ready in 2012.”
Facts Check: Partially True and False
Viral News in Social Media Twitter / Facebook / WhatsApp / Others Examples:
ISRO, DRDO&HAL set up by Nehru in the 50s to make India self reliant in Space, Aircraft&Defence technology. The anti satellite missile was developed&ready in 2012. Modi snatched Rafale deal from HAL for Ambani. Gave up TOT&self reliance. Now claims electoral credit for DRDO test!
Google Advertisement:ISRO, DRDO&HAL set up by Nehru in the 50s to make India self reliant in Space, Aircraft&Defence technology. The anti satellite missile was developed&ready in 2012. Modi snatched Rafale deal from HAL for Ambani. Gave up TOT&self reliance. Now claims electoral credit for DRDO test!
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) March 28, 2019
Facts Check Analysis Noted lawyer Prashant Bhusan, shared a post recently on the social media claiming that “ISRO, DRDO&HAL set up by Nehru in the 50s to make India self reliant in Space,”
Many people reacted to this immediately on the social media with different response “HAL founded in 1940, ISRO founded in 1975 When HAL founded, Nehru was not the PM of India & When ISRO founded, Nehru was no more in India.”
HAL founded in 1940,
— Chowkidar Sumit Katiyar (@iSKatiyar) March 28, 2019
ISRO founded in 1975
When HAL founded, Nehru was not the PM of India & When ISRO founded, Nehru was no more in India.
You need mental treatment PB !!
— avadhoot raktade (@avadhoot93) March 28, 2019
About ISRO
As per wikipedia, The Indian Space Research Organisation is the space agency of the Government of India headquartered in the city of Bengaluru. Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was established under the DAE in 1962 by the efforts of independent India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru and scientist Vikram Sarabhai recognizing the need in space research.
As per ISRO, In the about us page we find the reference of Dr Vikram Sarabhai , however it is strange that Nehru’s name is nowhere mentioned on the official website. It says,
India decided to go to space when Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was set up by the Government of India in 1962. With the visionary Dr Vikram Sarabhai at its helm, INCOSPAR set up the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in Thiruvananthapuram for upper atmospheric research.
Indian Space Research Organisation, formed in 1969, superseded the erstwhile INCOSPAR. Vikram Sarabhai, having identified the role and importance of space technology in a Nation's development, provided ISRO the necessary direction to function as an agent of development. ISRO then embarked on its mission to provide the Nation space-based services and to develop the technologies to achieve the same independently.
Defense Research and Development Organisation
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency of the Government of India, charged with the military's research and development, headquartered in New Delhi, India. It was formed in 1958 by the merger of the Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production with the Defence Science Organisation. It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister then in 1958. Hence the credit of DRDO going to Nehru is not wrong.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company headquartered in Bangalore, India. It is governed under the management of the Indian Ministry of Defence. HAL was founded in 1940. HAL was established as Hindustan Aircraft Limited in Bangalore on 23 December 1940 by Walchand Hirachand who became Chairman of the company. Again Nehru was not et the PM of India at the time of formation of HAL.
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