Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy stoked a major controversy on Thursday by suggesting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence at the ISRO headquarters on September 6 could have proved a 'bad omen' as the soft landing of moon lander Vikram failed. "I dont know (affirmatively), but probably the timing of his stepping in there could have brought a bad omen to ISRO scientists," Kumaraswamy said at a press conference in Mysuru.

He went on to add that Modi came to Bengaluru on Sept 6 night to send across a message to the people of the country that he was behind the launch of Chandrayaan. However, the project was the outcome of the scientists and the UPA government during 2008-09, he asserted. "Poor scientists had toiled for 10 to 12 years. The cabinet approval for Chandrayaan-2 was given in 2008-09 and accordingly the funds were released the same year. "He (Modi) came here to seek publicity as if he was
behind the launch of Chandrayaan-2," Kumaraswamy alleged.