CHENNAI: Both the BJP and the AIADMK pulled all stops to give the visiting Union Home Minister a grand welcome. Traditional dance and musical performances and cheering crowds gathered along the busy GST Road to welcome Amit Shah, who was visiting to attend government functions.
Soon after leaving the airport, Shah sprang a surprise by breaking protocol and getting out of his vehicle to greet his supporters. Later, at the government function held in Kalaivanar Arangam, he sprang more surprises, by apologising for his inability to speak in Tamil, and by launching political innuendos at the DMK.
“Tamil people have been leaders in science and arts. The contribution of its leaders and people to the Independence movement cannot be forgotten,” Shah said. He then paid tributes to late Chief Ministers and AIADMK leaders MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa. Recalling their contributions to the development of Tamil Nadu, he later contrasted the same with the “dynasty rule and corrupt governance” prevalent when the DMK-Congress combine was in power.
“The DMK would face rout in the elections...only ‘democratic forces’ will prevail,” Shah said, while reminding the public about the 2G scam. In comparison, he said, “the Modi government had given Tamil Nadu its due share and rights, unlike any other previous Central government.” Shah hailed the leadership of Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam in the development of Tamil Nadu. “Under their leadership, the State is progressing well.
I am confident that this government will continue on the path shown by MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa.” Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami hailed the Narendra Modi government’s handling of the Covid crisis. “India has been performing to such an extent that even super powers across the globe are hailing our programmes and schemes, and the credit for this goes to Modi and Amit Shah,” said Palaniswami. Reiterating that the alliance with the BJP would continue, Palaniswami said the AIADMK government had excelled in all fields during the past 10 years and the party would win the 2021 Assembly elections too.
Panneerselvam said the opposition parties in Tamil Nadu were jealous of the ever-increasing popularity of the AIADMK government due to its welfare schemes and other achievements. Due to this, they level many allegations. He exuded confidence that the AIADMK would continue to win the Assembly elections for a consecutive third term. “At the national level, in its efforts to make India as a superpower, Prime Minister Modi is playing a vital role,” he said.