The outburst of former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair against the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) establishment may have set the cat among the pigeons. A seemingly perturbed Isro on Wednesday declined to comment on the outburst of its former chairman against the space agency and its present chairman K Radhakrishnan, saying it would do so at an “appropriate time”. “We have no comments as of now,” said an Isro official.
The Department of Space on Wednesday barred Nair and three top officials from holding government office. It is said to have been a fallout of the multi-billion rupee S-band spectrum deal — between Isro’s commercial arm Antrix Corporation and Devas Multimedia Ltd — which was annulled in 2011.
The other space agency officials are former scientific secretary A Bhaskarnarayana, former satellite centre director K N Shankara and former Antrix executive director K R Sridharamurthi.
Nair was quoted as telling reporters that the “space agency (Isro) had gone to the dogs”
Even as several space scientist expressed shock over Nair’s outburst against the organisation he headed from 2003 to 2009, senior officials went into a huddle and were learnt to be discussing Nair’s outburst at the ISRO headquarters in Bangalore.
“Nair’s remarks are unfortunate. We have to wait and watch the impact Nair’s sweeping observations will have on the organisation,” a senior space scientist was quoted on condition of anonymity.
Nair made the comments in the context of reports of him and three of his former colleagues being barred from any official job due to the alleged mishandling of the Devas contract during their tenures.
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“I have sent a representation to the Prime Minister bringing to his notice that the decision to bar me was taken without any inquiry or giving me an opportunity to be heard," Nair said, adding Radhakrishnan "has not tarnished my image but that of the entire Isro community".
"I still have the respect for the Indian President and the Prime Minister. I am sure they will look into the issue," Nair added. He said he had not spoken on the Antrix-Devas deal for two years "mainly to protect the image of Isro as the organisation is more important".
Terming the order as totally unjust, Nair said he was not interested in serving any organisation or official committees under the current government.
“Even in an autocratic/military regime an opportunity is given to the person who has been blacklisted. No such opportunity was given to me. I am shocked at the order which has not been served on me,” Nair said. ”I am yet to see the order. Once it is sent to me, I will decide on an appropriate action,” Nair said.
Nair also accused Radhakrishnan of inefficiency and pursuing a personal agenda. Alleging that Radhakrishnan had been unable to live up to expectations of the space agency, Nair said his successor was resorting to action like blacklisting others to divert attention. “He (Radhakrishnan) may not be knowing the difference between transponders and satellites. During the past two years, ISRO has not announced any major project and the organisation will soon come to a grinding halt," Nair was quoted as saying.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had estimated the loss to the exchequer from the Devas deal at Rs 2 lakh crore under which Antrix was to provide 70 MHz S-Band spectrum to Devas.
In Nair's view, the CAG had gone wrong in its estimation of the probable loss of revenue in the Antrix-Devas deal.