‘Ready to hear out Ex-ISRO boss’
NEWDELHI: In what looked like an attempt to mend fences with the scientific community and not appear too harsh and high-handed, the government on Sunday indicated it was ready to give a hearing to the four former ISRO scientists, including G Madhavan Nair, who—in connection with the controversial Antrix-Devas deal—have been barred from any government assignment.
V Narayanasamy, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, told Express on Sunday: “If the aggrieved parties make a representation before the government, we are ready to look into it. We are not against the scientific community. The government action was based on the reports of two high-level committees set up by the Prime Minister.
“I am aware of the contributions made by Madhavan Nair and others. I know that he was in charge of the moon mission. So we are ready to hear him,” added Narayanasamy.
He, however, denied reports that suggested the government was doing any suo motu review of its January 13 order. “To say we are reconsidering our earlier decision will not be right, as it was based on certain findings. But we are willing to look into any representation the scientists make before us.” The upshot was that the government needs a formal representation for it to reopen the case; it couldn’t take any remedial action, if at all, in a vacuum.