With the Mars Orbiter Mission adding another feather to our crown, the government has now started taking Chandrayan seriously. However, the biggest problem the government is facing here is: who should be sent to the Moon. So, the Prime Minister called a meeting of UPA allies to take a decision on this issue.

While Mulayam Singh Yadav demanded that a person belonging to the minority community be sent to the moon, his detractor Mayawati put forward the proposal of a Dalit. The PM turned down both the demands saying that religion and caste cannot be the criteria for the purpose.

Immediately, NCP members became active and demanded that their leader should be given a chance. As Sharad Pawar himself has gone on record saying that he would not contest in the next Lok Sabha elections and the next BCCI elections are at least two years away, he would be having ample time at his disposal. However, the PM immediately struck down the proposal. After all, who would risk another land scam, that too on the moon!
Interestingly, party from the South, DMK, was conspicuously silent on the issue. After much investigation it was found that their dress code (read dhoti) does not permit them to travel to the moon as the gravitation of the moon is much less than that of earth.Suddenly, somebody suggested Rahul Gandhi’s name. Though many liked the idea, one old warhorse asked, “General elections are coming closer. Who will go and eat in a Dalit’s house in his absence?” So the suggestion was dropped.

Some liberal party member suggested that the opposition parties too should be given a chance. “Yes, send Modi to the moon. That Feku is making a lot of noise on earth,” supported another party member. “No. It will be suicidal. That man will start snooping at us from the moon,” many objected. So this proposal, too, was dropped.

Now somebody suggested that an apolitical person should be sent to the moon. “Sachin is best suited.” “Yes, he has retired from cricket and has nothing else to do,” agreed others. “But he is Bharat Ratna. How can we make him Bharat ki Chand?” objection came from a corner. “How about Rajni Kant?” some south-based members asked. “He might have already gone there several times in the past and he may find our spacecraft too slow to travel,” some other members expressed their reservations.

With no acceptable option forthcoming, a disappointed PM finally said, “The first time we shall send the spacecraft unmanned.” Many were disappointed at the decision but could not say anything and nodded their heads reluctantly.


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