In an unprecedented move, a former Congress MLA from Vellore in Tamil Nadu, Arul Anbarasu, on Wednesday sent two-way air tickets to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to make an immediate visit to the state to address issues pertaining to the “most neglected state in India.”
The tickets were sent by registered post from Mount Road post office and also had a covering letter in which Anbarasu asked Modi to visit his state amid “racking up millions of air miles on state visits to far-flung nations.”
Reminding Modi that it has been a year since he took office, he said: “You have travelled all over the world, 26 nations to be precise and met leaders. You have given aid to Mongolia and laid foundation stones in Australia. You have met Americans, Germans, Canadians and even played drums with Japanese. All this in the name of ‘reaching out to other nations’ and wooing investors for your ‘Make in India’ campaign. While you rack up millions of air miles on state visits to far-flung nations, I request you to also visit some of the neglected states in our country.”
Anbarasu, who spent nearly Rs 9,000 from his pocket for the air tickets, said he was forced to do this as the PM never turned up after he made frequent visits and promises before elections. He hoped that Modi would accept the tickets for a morning flight from Delhi on August 12 and a return flight on August 13 evening, both economy class tickets in a private airline.
“If not for any reason, let him come and condole the death of 20 woodcutters from Tamil Nadu killed by Andhra Pradesh Police in a fake encounter. Or let him meet farmers and listen to their problems, and their demand for subsidies. He has a lot to do to resolve the water crisis of Tamil Nadu when it has affected the lives of hundreds of farmers. I will take him to Sriperumbudur where over 10,000 workers have lost their livelihood in the last one year. Let him see the gates of industries closed recently. Or at least I am sure that the damaged roads of Sriperumbudur industrial corridor will be repaired if he make a visit there, public will benefit from that too,” Anbarasu said.
