Mr Modi is scheduled to inaugurate two projects worth a total of Rs 24,000 crores, in Chhattisgarh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the Naxal-affected Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region today.
Mr Modi is scheduled to inaugurate two projects there worth a total of Rs 24,000 crores. One of the projects is a steel plant in Dantewada's Dilmili village. The other is the inauguration of the second phase of a 140 km railway line from Raoghat to Jagdalpur.
The Congress is protesting Mr Modi's visit and plans to boycott it. Party workers on Friday alleged that the real reason for the Prime Minister's visit is to give corporates access to the minerals-rich Bastar region, and not to enquire about the welfare of its people.
"Where was Mr Modi when people were dying? Now he is coming to sign Memorandums of Understanding," said Bhupesh Baghel, President of the Congress party's Chhattisgarh unit.
The BJP says it's wrong for the Congress to boycott the Prime Minister's visit. "They should not do politics at the cost of development," said Shrichand Sundrani, the BJP's spokesperson in Chhattisgarh.
The Naxals have already stared protesting Mr Modi's visit. On Friday, they chopped a tree and used it to block a road, put up posters registering their protest, and hung effigies of Mr Modi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh.
Mr Modi was scheduled to visit Naya Raipur too, but now won't be, because strong winds today afternoon led to the collapse of the roof of a stage from which Mr Modi planned to address 1 lakh people. Forty six people, including police officials, were injured in the accident.
The Prime Minister also plans to visit Education City and Livelihood College, where he will interact with students and record his monthly radio programme, "Mann Ki Baat".
Over 15,000 security officials have been deployed for Mr Modi's visit.