Digvijaya Singh Revives Debunked ISRO Salary Claim Amid Chandrayaan 3’s Lunar Landing Bid

New Delhi, August 23, 2023: Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has stirred controversy by claiming that ISRO scientists haven’t received their salaries in 17 months, despite a recent debunking of a similar assertion by the Government of India’s Press Information Bureau’s fact-checking arm.

Singh’s statement coincided with the Chandrayaan 3 lunar landing attempt, prompting him to call on the Prime Minister to address the alleged salary issue.

Singh remarked, “We are proud that ISRO scientists are making an effort for the successful lunar landing of Chandrayaan. We pray to the Almighty for their success. But there are reports in newspapers that the scientists who made this happen have not received a salary in 17 months. Prime Minister should take note of this too,” during an interview with ANI.

In response, Amit Malviya, BJP IT cell head, criticized Singh for spreading misinformation on a significant day for ISRO. Malviya tweeted, “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.”

Entrepreneur and political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla had previously echoed a similar claim on a podcast, alleging that ISRO scientists had not received salaries for three months. However, PIB Fact Check clarified that ISRO scientists indeed receive their salaries by the end of each month.

The conflicting claims have ignited a debate over the accuracy of the information being disseminated regarding ISRO scientists’ remuneration. While Singh’s statement remains disputed, the controversy underscores the significance of accurate reporting, particularly on matters concerning scientific institutions like ISRO.