Just before noon, the AIADMK general secretary issued a press release attacking the Government for delaying the Agni launch under foreign influence. The fact was that the missile had been test-fired already from Wheeler Island in Balasore, Orissa.

On learning about the successful test-firing of the missile, and realising her folly, Jayalalitha changed the tune soon to say that the credit for it goes to scientists and not the government.

``Because of the AIADMK's consistent public stand on the missile issue, the Prime Minister has been forced to over-rule the External Affairs and Defence Ministers and order the immediate launch of Agni-II,'' they claimed.

According to the AIADMK, Agni-II was scheduled to have been test-launched weeks ago but it was ``cancelled'' due to pressure from the United States and other powers. ``Fernandes hasclose links with the ruling Social Democratic Party-Green Party alliance in Germany. Therefore, the German government was feverishly working to disarm India and make it vulnerable to nuclear and conventional blackmail,'' she claimed.