A rousing welcome was given to Union Home Minister Amit Shah when he arrived in Chennai for a two-day programme, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and other Cabinet Ministers receiving him at the airport.
This was perhaps the first time in recent decades that a visiting Union Minister was given such a grand reception. The Chief Minister and the Cabinet Ministers arrived at the airport more than 20 minutes before Mr. Shah’s arrival.
The Union Minister came in a special aircraft, landing at 1.40 p.m. Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam, Director General of Police J.K. Tripathy and other BJP leaders, including L. Ganesan and L. Murugan, were among those who welcomed him.
Security arrangements
The police had made elaborate security arrangements along the route that led to the Leela Palace Hotel, where Mr. Shah checked in, and at Kalaivanar Arangam, where he participated in public programmes organised by the State government. Police personnel were seen standing along the route.
Welcome arches decorated with flowers and fruits were erected on the airport premises.
Traffic was stopped on GST Road for the passage of the convoy. Mr. Shah was escorted by CRPF commandos in a bulletproof vehicle.
Party functionaries from the BJP and the AIADMK gathered on the sides of the roads, waving party flags and beating drums.
Mr. Shah stopped his car and got down from the vehicle, waving at an enthusiastic crowd. BJP State president Mr. Murugan also walked with him.
During the roadshow, an elderly man, who came with a placard reading ‘Go back Shah’, threw it a few yards from the Minister. Police personnel took him away and later identified him as Durairaj, 67, who was angry that he did not receive ₹15 lakh in his bank account that he said was promised to him by the BJP in 2014.
Traffic was blocked from the airport to Pallavaram bus stop. Hundreds of vehicles were struck in the traffic.
Meanwhile, Mr. Shah tweeted, “It is always great to be in Tamil Nadu. Thank you Chennai for this love and support.” The hashtags #GoBackAmitShah and #TNWelcomesAmitShah were trending on Twitter throughout the day.
