Kolkata, March 19
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Wednesday, while giving her reactions on the successful return of Sunita Williams from space, claimed to have studied space science.

She also said that Williams should be conferred the Bharat Ratna award by the Union government.

While addressing the second round of the budget session of the Assembly on Wednesday, the Chief Minister also referred to the tragedy of the death of Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian origin to fly to space, who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in February 2003.

“Kalpana Chawla too went to space. But she could not return. I have studied space science. There are cases where aeroplanes recover from technical glitches and return. I heard the spaceship through which Sunita Williams was travelling also developed some technical glitches. It could have turned into a fire mishap which had happened in the case of Kalpana Chawla. That is why they had to remain trapped in space for such a long time. I especially thank the rescue team for the successful return of Williams and her team members,” the Chief Minister said.

Speaking on the occasion, Mamata Banerjee said that since the origin of Williams is India, it is the duty of the Union government to facilitate her with the Bharat Ratna award. Claiming that she used to regularly enquire about the status of Williams and her team members while they were in space, the Chief Minister said a virtual tornado had been going on within her all these days.

Earlier, she also made a post on the wall of her X handle welcoming “Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back to earth, finally and safely, after so many days.”

“Our daughter of India returns to us, and we are deeply deeply happy and elated. We are profoundly happy for Butch Wilmore also. Hail their courage, hail their return, hail human glory! I congratulate the rescue team for their overwhelming support and success,” the Chief Minister wrote.

Mamata Banerjee demands Bharat Ratna for Sunita Williams