Chandrayaan-3: West Bengal Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday mistook Indian astronaut Rakesh Sharma for Bollywood actor and director Rakesh Roshan while speaking on ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 mission at a public event.
She made the gaffe while recalling the Soviet Interkosmos programme in which India's Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma went to space and made a conversation with then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from the space station. Gandhi asked him - how India looks like from space, and he replied, “Saare jahan se acha, Hindustan humara”.
Soon after her video surfaced on social media it went viral as a number of people shared the post with hilarious memes.
"Rakesh Roshan becomes the first actor-director to venture out into space..... Courtesy Mamata Banerjee....Sorry Rakesh Sharma," said BJP leader Keya Ghosh on X, formerly Twitter.
She was trolled by several X users for her goof-up.
Rajasthan minister Ashok's gaffe
Earlier, another goof-up was made by a Rajasthan minister by congratulating “passengers”. Rajasthan Sports Minister Ashok Chandna made the slip hours before the touchdown by Chandrayaan’s lander on the lunar surface – an unmanned landing eagerly anticipated across the country.
“If we are successful and make a safe landing, I salute the passengers,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an event. “Our country has taken a step further in science and space research. I congratulate the countrymen for this.”
Meanwhile, Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander made a successful soft-landing on the moon Wednesday evening, making India only the fourth country to do so and first to reach its uncharted south pole.
Also read- Chandrayaan-3: Pragyan rover rolls out from Vikram lander, ISRO releases first picture
