Summit will make Mahabs must-visit place: Pon Radhakrishnan

Chennai: Terming the second informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping as “a big honour” to Tamil Nadu, BJP senior and former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan claimed their visit would place Chennai and Mamallapuram on the global map of must visit destinations for international visitors including Chinese tourists.

“Chennai and Mahabalipuram are already among popular destinations. The visit of the two leaders would make these two places all the more prominent placing them on the list of must visit places,” Mr. Radhakrishnan said. Speaking to reporters at the airport here on Saturday he said political parties in the State should view the meeting as vital to the state and refrain from adverse criticism.

On the Madras High Court permitting the putting up banners to welcome the two leaders, Mr. Radhakrishnan who had been former Union Minister of State for Finance and Shipping, said only the government has been granted permission to put up banners to welcome Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi to Mamallapuram on Oct. 11. “I have asked my party members not to erect banners on behalf of the party. Yesterday, I had visited Mahabalipuram and inspected the arrangements being made for the summit,” he said.

Asked about the Muzaffarpur police (which in compliance with a local court directive) registered sedition case against 49 personalities including Ramachandra Guha, Mani Ratnam and Aparna Sen, who had written an open letter to the Prime Minister expressing concern over the growing incidents of mob killing, the BJP senior denied any role by the Centre. “The Central government has nothing to do with this. Giving wrong information will only cause confusion and its better to avoid it,” he added.

On AIADMK senior and Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar calling on the BJP leaders at Kamalalayam here on Friday, Mr Radhakrishnan said Jayakumar had sought continued support and cooperation from the BJP for the by-polls to Nanguneri and Vikravandi Assembly constituencies. “We have assured the AIADMK of our support. Also, he had sought a list of our leaders who will campaign in the two constituencies. We have conveyed that we are ready for the poll campaign,” he said.