The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has come under fire after it posted a tweet on its official handle promoting the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), a government scheme aimed at providing loans to small businesses. The tweet, which marked the eighth anniversary of the PMMY, was accompanied by a picture of PM Modi and the caption, “8 years of #PMMudraYojana, empowering millions of Indians to fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams & contribute to the nation’s growth. From micro-enterprises to large businesses, #PMMudraYojana has opened doors of opportunity for all Indians.”
While the tweet was meant to showcase the success of the PMMY in empowering Indian entrepreneurs, it drew swift backlash from netizens who accused ISRO of being co-opted by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and reducing the prestigious space agency to a propaganda tool.
Many users expressed their disappointment with the tweet, stating that they had always been proud of ISRO’s scientific achievements and that the agency should remain focused on space research rather than promoting government schemes.
One user tweeted, “Does this fall under your domain? Even otherwise, why are you behaving like another one of Modi’s drumbeaters/propagandists? What a fall!” Another user wrote, “What a mighty fall for ISRO from being the only institution in the world which succeeded in putting a probe around Mars in its very first attempt to becoming a nachaniya of Modi. Can’t blame ISRO though.”
Several users also criticized the Modi government for allegedly misusing government organizations for political gain. One tweet read, “Shameful act of Modi government. Misuse of government organizations is on top.” Another user wrote, “Current regime is annihilating each great institution bit by bit.”
ISRO has not responded to the criticism, but the controversy highlights the growing politicization of Indian institutions under the BJP government. While the PMMY has been touted as a successful initiative that has helped millions of Indian entrepreneurs, the use of ISRO’s platform to promote the scheme has sparked concerns about the independence of government agencies and the politicization of scientific research.