#MissionShakti is special for 2 reasons: (1) India is only the 4th country to acquire such a specialised & modern c… https://t.co/4xjPRnmvp4 — Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 1553670687000

#MissionShakti represents a watershed moment for India. Testing of the Anti-Satellite Missile demonstrates India's… https://t.co/XsO82CAVkN — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) 1553676971000

Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) 1553674782000

We congratulate @isro @DRDO_India & the Govt on the latest achievement for India. The Indian Space Programme establ… https://t.co/okQhnJA9Rt — Congress (@INCIndia) 1553674047000

Today @narendramodi got himself an hour of free TV & divert nation's attention away from issues on ground —… https://t.co/Z1AgiOOtw8 — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) 1553671270000

Congratulations once again to DRDO & entire scientific community in achieving yet another milestone by successfully testing ASAT technology. — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) 1553674445000

Congratulations India! We are now a space power too! And thank you Hon PM @narendramodi ji for making India proud… https://t.co/pjdLl5MdU2 — Chowkidar Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) 1553673815000

Today’s announcement is yet another limitless drama and publicity mongering by Modi desperately trying to reap poli… https://t.co/EqzZ6yITnk — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) 1553674550000

The country would like to know the special reasons why the Election Commission permitted the achievements of Indian… https://t.co/UuaAHMgvPy — Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) 1553679652000

भारतीय रक्षा वैज्ञानिकों द्वारा अंतरिक्ष में सैटेलाइट मार गिराये जाने का सफल परीक्षण करके देश का सर ऊंचा करने के लि… https://t.co/fvYIn7O90O — Mayawati (@Mayawati) 1553674085000

* Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that successful implementation of Mission Shakti was a matter of "utmost pride for India" which will also have "impact on coming generations". The PM said that Mission Shakti was special because with its execution India became the fourth country in the world to have the specialised capability and also because the whole mission was indigenous.* President Ram Nath Kovind called execution of Mission Shakti a "watershed moment in the history of India".* Mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi wished him "happy World Theatre Day" after his address to the nation during which he announced that India had shot down a live satellite using anti-satellite missile technology.* Countering Congress' criticism, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley said that the process for Mission Shakti started in 2014 after the PM gave the permission,. "It's a huge achievement, not only we have become space power but we are now in big four. We should not forget that tomorrow's wars will not be the same as yesterday's wars," he said.* Congress from its official Twitter account also congratulated Indian Space Research Organisation and Defence Research and Development Organisation.* Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad called it a historic day saying that India has emerged as a big space power and credited the "scientists & the Prime Minister, in particular, deserve full praise. I compliment the scientists and the Prime Minister," Prasad said.* Prime Minister Narendra Modi got himself an hour of free TV and diverted nation's attention away from issues on the ground, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, shortly after Modi addressed the nation on India's anti-satellite missile capability.* The TMC criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for trying to "take the credit" of the achievement of space scientists in shooting down a live satellite. "Narendra Modi should stop taking credit for the achievement or job done by others. Shooting down a satellite is the credit of our scientists. The Modi government in the last five years has failed to provide any relief to the people of the country," senior TMC leader and West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim said.* The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasised that India testing its capability to shoot satellites in space is not directed as a threat to any country. In a statement MEA said, "The test is not directed against any country. At the same time, government is committed to ensuring country’s national security interests and is alert to threats from emerging technologies." The statement added that the capability achieved through the Anti-Satellite missile (A-SAT) test provides credible deterrence "against threats to our growing space-based assets from long range missiles, and proliferation in the types and numbers of missiles."* Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari congratulated all the scientists for carrying out Mission Shakti successfully. "India is moving fast towards becoming a world leader, & under PM Modi's leadership, it is on its way to not only become a 'super economic power', but also a super science power," said Gadkari.* Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member, Ahmed Patel said that the UPA government had initiated the A-SAT program which has reached fruition today. "I congratulate our space scientists and the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh," he said.* Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal too congratulated DRDO & entire scientific community.* Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that PM Modi had done India proud with the successful testing of an anti-satellite missile. Fadnavis also congratulated the scientists who achieved the feat and noted that India has become the fourth country in the world after the US, Russia and China to have such a capability.* West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that Modi's announcement was "limitless drama and publicity mongering", amounting to "gross violation" of the model code of conduct. She also accused the Prime Minister of making the announcement to "reap political benefits" and said her party will move the EC.* In a complaint to the EC, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury wrote to the Election Commission, asking it why PM Modi was allowed to "politically colour" the achievements of Indian scientists in the midst of polls. "Such a mission should normally be announced to the nation and to the world by the relevant scientific authorities like the DRDO. Instead, the Prime Minister has taken the route of an address to the nation in making this announcement," Yechury said.* Slamming the opposition for criticising PM Modi, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said: "Elections come and go but does the country stop progressing? Now it is on you, how you see the success of the Mission Shakti. I didn't hear PM Modi taking credit of the mission. He said it's done by the scientists and we are proud of them.""I earlier also said that it is the support which we need to give to our soldiers, scientists, doctors, everyone so that they can do wonders in their respective fields," he said.* BSP supremo Mayawati accused PM Modi of playing politics over India's anti-satellite missile capability. "Congratulations to Indian defence scientists for the successful experiment of shooting down a satellite in the space. But the prime minister playing politics under its garb for electoral gains is most condemnable," she said in her tweet in Hindi.