Madurai: Chief Minister Vijay, who came to Madurai today to take part in various events, held a “road show” through the city covering a total distance of 44 kilometers, from the airport to the government hospital where the Thaimaman Thanga Modhiram scheme was launched, the Gandhi Government Museum, and the Meenakshiamman Temple.
So far, no leader in Madurai has ever gone on a “road show” like this to meet people along the way.
As the Chief Minister arrived by car from Madurai airport toward Madurai via the ring road, party workers welcomed Chief Minister Vijay in a unique manner near Perungudi, as if Kallazhagar had come mounted on a golden horse.
On the way to Madurai Government Hospital, enthusiastic supporters threw garlands, party flags, and scarves at a few places. When the Chief Minister arrived at the Kuruvikkaran Road junction on Vaigai South Bank Road, he lifted and encouraged a child who had come dressed as Meenakshi to welcome him.
After the inauguration ceremony of the Thaimaman Thanga Moondru Ring scheme at Government Rajaji Hospital, Chief Minister Vijay took a group photo along with doctors including Dean Arul Sundararesh Kumar.
Seeing the doctors and nurses gathered near the nurses’ hostel, the Chief Minister himself took one of their mobile phones and shot a selfie and a video.
Later, the Chief Minister, who visited the Gandhi Government Museum that had been renovated and reopened, was briefed about the museum by its secretary Nandarao.
To ensure that no one could enter the areas where the Chief Minister’s vehicles were moving slowly, his personal security guards ran along the route in front of and beside the Chief Minister’s vehicle.
TVK members had put up posters across Madurai city to welcome Chief Minister Vijay. Since the corporation has currently imposed a ban on putting up posters, and municipal officials had issued a strict order to tear down the “Chief Minister” welcome posters put up in the city area, sanitation workers also tore down his posters.
When the posters were torn down within a few hours of being put up, TVK members questioned them. Officials said that the route the Chief Minister would take must be kept clean, after which they left the spot.
Large numbers of people waited along the route from the airport to Meenakshi Amman Temple to see Chief Minister Vijay. No one had made any arrangements to provide them with enough drinking water bottles.
It is noteworthy that during the previous AIADMK and DMK regimes, party members themselves would provide food, cold drinks, and water bottles to the public and party workers waiting to see their leaders, without expecting government funds.
Today, unlike usual, despite the intense heat in Madurai, those who had been waiting a long time to see Chief Minister Vijay fainted and fell here and there. Police personnel on security duty arranged ambulances and sent them to the government hospital. In total, more than 10 people were taken to the Government Rajaji Hospital, but only Katturaja (55) and Vignesh (29), who suffered minor injuries in the crowd crush, were admitted to the hospital. The others were sent home.
