Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay surprised an elderly woman during an unscheduled stop in Salem, gifting her his Christian Dior sunglasses in a heartwarming moment that has since gone viral on social media. Vijay was in Salem on Tuesday to open the gates of the Mettur Dam for the release of water for Samba paddy cultivation in the Cauvery Delta. After inspecting the Mettur hydroelectric power station, he made an impromptu stop at a roadside farmhouse, where the warm interaction took place.
Seeing a group of elderly women working in the nearby fields while en route to the Salem airport, the Chief Minister stepped out of his vehicle to greet them directly.
As the Chief Minister's convoy pulled up, a crowd began to gather around and Chellam walked over to see what the commotion was about. Spotting the Chief Minister, she stepped forward without hesitation and took his hand.
"He asked me if I had eaten," Chellam recalled, her voice beaming with joy. "I told him I hadn't, because I was waiting to see him first," she said.
Holding her hand, the Chief Minister walked along the garden area, asking for her name and checked on her well-being. Before going around the dwelling and cattle shed owned by local farmer Palanisamy, Vijay reached for his own pair of sunglasses.
Watch the video here:
Despite Chellam's initial reluctance, he gently persuaded her and placed the glasses on her face himself - a cinema-like gesture from the former silver-screen hero, who quit acting and took to full-time politics to serve the people.
"He looked just like he does in his movies," Chellam said and added "I was so happy I told him I would defend him if anyone ever tried to harm him." During the 15-minute visit, Vijay, who is president of ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party, distributed traditional gifts - dhotis and sarees - to the host family and discussed local agricultural affairs, including the government's recent decision to raise milk procurement prices to Rs 44.
Watch the video here:
For Chellam, however, the overwhelming magic of the moment left her starstruck. In the excitement of holding his hand and giving him a tour of the homestead, she forgot to mention the daily hardships she faces - her lost ration card, her inability to do heavy physical labour due to old age, and her dependence on a modest monthly allowance just to buy food.
Yet, as the convoy moved away, Chellam remained deeply moved by the gesture shown by the chief minister.
"He told me he had already eaten and insisted that I go and eat," she later told reporters.
Videos of the spontaneous interaction went viral in the social media, drawing praise from locals for the Chief Minister's heartwarming gesture, especially leaving a village elder with a story that far outweighs her everyday struggles besides surprise gifts (dhotis and sarees) to a group of farmers.
(With inputs from PTI)
