Chennai: Doubts are being raised in airport circles over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to Tamil Nadu on April 9 and the organization of roadshows as the Advanced Security Liaison (ASL) meeting held on Saturday did not take any definite decision on the programme but adjourned to meet once again on April 8.
Since security agencies in the airport had to be put on high alert during VIP visits, the ASL will be held in advance to make a proper planning in which the entire programme would be discussed. So, when the meeting on Saturday did not deliberate on the Prime Minister’s proposed programme in the State, it rang in a cloud of uncertainty over the visit itself.
The original plan was that the Prime Minister would land in Chennai airport by a special flight in the afternoon of April 9 and leave for Vellore by helicopter from the old airport. After campaigning in Vellore, he was expected to return to Chennai by helicopter by 5.30 pm and then drive into the city in a car to participate in a roadshow from T Nagar Panagal Park to Teyampet signal.
To plan the security arrangements for the visit, the ASL meeting was held with a top honcho of the SPG participating in it apart from high level officers of the city police, airport security, CISF and other security offices, when no definite instructions were given to the local security agencies, indicating that the visit might not happen or there would be changes in the programme.
For, the various agencies involved in the Prime Ministers’ security had to undertake advance rehearsals to be in a state of preparedness on the day. But now with the postponement of the meeting to April 8, security personnel are worried as there might not be adequate time for the rehearsals if the programme goes on as per the present schedule.
The doubts over the postponement or cancellation of the Prime Minister’s Chennai visit and road show were also sparked by the recent last minute calling off of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s campaign in Tamil Nadu on April 4.
So the long drawn campaign in Tamil Nadu that the Prime Minister had planned by being in the State for four days in the run up to the April 19 elections seems to be in a limbo.
