Chennai: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President K. Selvaperunthagai has announced that Congress workers across the state will stage black flag protests during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state on April 6.
In a statement issued on Monday, Selvaperunthagai said the protest will take place in all district headquarters and will highlight several grievances, including the alleged imposition of Hindi, the Centre’s three-language policy, insufficient disaster relief funding, and inadequate support for school education.
The TNCC chief accused the BJP-led government under Prime Minister Modi of consistently deceiving the people of Tamil Nadu through what he called “anti-democratic policies.” He also criticised the delay in releasing funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and for the Chennai Metro Rail project.
Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit Tamil Nadu on April 6, coinciding with Ram Navami. He is expected to offer prayers at the Sri Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram and inaugurate the newly constructed Pamban Bridge.
According to sources, the Prime Minister will travel to Rameswaram from Sri Lanka after concluding a bilateral visit. He will first attend the BIMSTEC sub-regional summit in Thailand on April 3 and 4, followed by a two-city tour of Colombo and Anuradhapura before arriving in Tamil Nadu.
The new vertical lift railway sea bridge, constructed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) at a cost of Rs 535 crore, spans over 2.5 kilometres. It replaces the old bridge, which was shut down in 2022 due to corrosion.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier described the structure as “India’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge” and a symbol of modern engineering and enhanced connectivity. This high-profile visit comes amid signs of a renewed political alliance between the BJP and the AIADMK.
Recently, AIADMK general secretary and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, signalling a possible revival of the BJP-AIADMK alliance ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Political observers believe such a realignment could significantly influence the state’s electoral landscape.
