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    Prakash Raj slammed for mocking India's Chandrayaan-3 moon mission & ex-ISRO chief K Sivan; Abhishek Manu Singhvi calls it 'shameful'

    The post was perceived as belittling the hard work of scientistsAgencies
    The post was perceived as belittling the hard work of scientists. (Image Source: Instagram/ @joinprakashraj)

    Story outline

    • Prakash Raj shared a satirical image of a man serving tea on the moon
    • The backlash he faced included criticism from Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi
    • Some users recognised the historical context of the Malayali joke about a tea seller on the moon
    • Successful Chandrayaan-3 landing would place India alongside USA & China in achieving lunar exploration feats
    Actor Prakash Raj, known for his roles in films like 'Wanted', 'Singham' & 'Dabangg 2', is facing a storm of criticism after sharing a social media post which seemingly mocked ex-ISRO Chief K Sivan ahead of the Chandrayaan-3 landing.

    Raj shared an image on X (formerly Twitter) that depicted a man humorously serving tea on the Moon, accompanied by the caption, "BREAKING NEWS: First picture coming from the Moon by #VikramLander Wowww #justasking."


    The depiction of a man serving tea, while intended as a satirical reference, was perceived by many as a belittlement of the dedication and hard work of the scientists involved in India's historic lunar mission.

    The post drew massive backlash from users who felt that it was a disrespectful and sarcastic jab. Reacting to it, Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi wrote, "I condemn Prakash Raj for this shameful tweet. Success of ISRO is success of India."


    Meanwhile, several other X users also criticised Raj from his post. One user wrote, "You have stooped so low.. feel ashamed that you are a fellow countryman !! I am proud of ISRO !! Jai Hind."


    "#Chandrayaan3 mission is for India. Being an Indian you should be proud of the technological progress of India. Progress over Politics!" shared another.








    However, there were some users who recognised that the actor's reference was rooted in an old Malayali joke about a tea seller on the Moon.

    One user emphasised the historical context and wrote, "Those who know only hate will see only hate. If it makes any difference, Prakash Raj is referencing a joke (that predates anyone you feel he is insulting) about how we find Keralites in every corner of the world and how the first thing Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin saw when they stepped foot on the moon was a Malayali selling tea there."


    Meanwhile, Chandrayaan-3 is in the spotlight as it prepares for a soft landing on the Moon's south pole. The mission has garnered immense attention and anticipation. This endeavour follows the earlier Chandrayaan-2 mission, which experienced challenges during its attempted soft landing in 2019.

    The success of Chandrayaan-3's landing will place India alongside prestigious nations that have accomplished similar feats, including the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union.
    ( Originally published on Aug 21, 2023 )

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    (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2024 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)

    Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.

    ...more
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