Home Minister Amit Shah will address TN party workers on Nov 21: TN BJP chief

Union Home Minister Amit Shah would visit the metropolis on November 21 to take part in official and party events here and it shall be a big morale booster for BJP workers, Tamil Nadu president of the saffron party, L Murugan said here on Sunday.

The visit of the senior BJP leader also would mean giving a sense of "fear" for opposition parties, he said.

Since Shah's visit would be the first since he took over as Tamil Nadu unit president in March, a grand reception was being organised for the Home Minister from the airport to the venue of a party event, Murugan told reporters.

Besides government functions, Shah is scheduled to preside over the Tamil Nadu BJP's core committee meeting and also address party office-bearers including district secretaries, he said.

To a question, Murugan said Shah's visit would give them a big encouragement, more determination and courage.

The Home Minister's visit would, however, give a sense of fear for opposition parties since the BJP had gained more and more strength and posted electoral victories in the regions he had toured, he said.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K S Alagiri took potshots at Murugan for his comment and asked why should we be afraid of Shah ? In a democracy, there is no need for anyone to fear another person.

Especially, nobody in Tamil Nadu would be afraid of Shah, Alagiri said adding that Murugan is living in imagination, let him come to the real world. Murugan, when asked if there was a likelihood of Shah taking part in 'Vetrivel Yatra' he replied in the negative.

However, Union Minister for Chemicals, Sadananda Gowda and Minister of State, External Affairs V Muraleedharan would take part in the yatras on November 22 and 23 at Coimbatore and Palani respectively, he said.

Since November 6, the BJP leaders have been attempting to take out 'Vetrivel Yatra' in Tamil Nadu from multiple locations despite the state government banning it due to the coronavirus pandemic.So far, the party workers and leaders, including Murugan had courted arrest at places which include Tiruttani, Chennai and Chengelpet.

Originally, the State BJP had planned to commence the yatra from Tiruttani in northern Tamil Nadu on November 6 and end it on December 6 at Tiruchendur in southern part of the state.

The party had said that the yatra was to expose the DMK, which allegedly lent support to a group that denigrated 'Kanda Sashti Kavacham,' a Tamil, spiritual hymn on Lord Muruga and it is hugely popular in the state for centuries.