While the entire nation is mourning the unexpected death of former President of India, often known as “The Missile Man”, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, a popular nuclear scientist from Pakistan Abdul Qadeer Khan has outlined Dr Kalam as just an `ordinary` scientist.
Abdul Quadeer Khan, recognized for his efforts in Pakistan’s atomic bomb project, and also known as father of Pakistan’s nuclear program, lately made this statement in a telephonic talk to held with BBC.
“India’s missile programme was developed through the help of Russia and Dr Kalam didn’t make a big difference in developing the missiles,” Khan said.
Khan claimed during the interview that he cannot recall any big inventions of Dr Kalam.
He claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party had selected Kalam as the President of India in 2002 simply because he was a Muslim and the party sought to attract Muslim voters.
He additionally said that Dr Kalam, who died on Monday, was a man who believed in simple living and was an ordinary scientist too.
However, things went controversial when he mentioned that Dr Kalam was elected as the President of India in 2002 during the rule of Bhartiya Janata Party to ensure party’s Muslim vote bank of the country.
Kalam, who passed away on Monday evening while giving a lecture at the Indian Institute of management-Shillong, is remebered as an eminent scientist.
The contribution of ‘missile man’ APJ Abdul Kalam to the country’s atomic and space programme is recognized throughout the world.