While Prime Minister Narendra Modi was warmly welcomed in Chennai on Friday, the reception took an adversarial turn as three Youth Congress members expressed their protest by waving black balloons at his convoy. Subsequent to this incident, a case was filed against the Youth Congress workers at the Mount Road Police Station in Chennai.
The Congress members employed the symbolic act of waving black balloons in reaction to the detainment of several Congress leaders who were placed under protective custody during the Prime Minister's visit to Tamil Nadu. Raja Vikraman and two other Youth Congress workers released black balloons bearing the slogan "Go back Modi."
KS Alagiri, the President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC), criticized the police for taking preventive measures, detaining party leaders including SC Wing President MP Ranjan Kumar, to curb their protest during PM Modi's arrival.
Expressing his discontent on X, Alagiri stated, "I strongly condemn the outrageous behavior of the police department who arrested Congress members who tried to protest against Prime Minister Modi within the law and order. Such actions are considered anti-democratic."
PM Modi's visit to Tamil Nadu, a part of his 11-day pilgrimage to various Lord Ram temples, precedes the 'Pran Pratishta' (consecration) ceremony of the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya scheduled for Monday. As part of this visit, the Prime Minister is engaging in worship at temples in the state. Earlier on the same day, PM Modi visited the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Sri Rangam in Trichy, an ancient shrine associated with the Ramayana, and participated in the recitation of 'Kamba' Ramayana by scholars. This visit marked the third temple in the south with a Ramayana connection that the Prime Minister has visited during the week.
