While the news of a petrol bomb attack on Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi’s residence came as a shock to many in the state, media persons and political commentators such as Sumanth Raman have been hell bent on trivialising the matter. It all began here:
TN Police – Chennai City Additional Commissioner
With the Additional Commissioner of the Chennai City Police which comes under the ambit of the Chief Minister, MK Stalin, Prem Anand Sinha gave a statement on the attack to press persons. He said that the bomb did not fall inside the residence but fell on the road, outside the barricade. He said, “It cannot be said that petrol bombs were thrown at the Governor’s House. The bomb fell on the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel road in front of the barricade at the gate of the mansion. Karukka Vinod who threw the petrol bomb was drunk. Further information will be provided after the investigation. There is no security breach at the Governor’s House. It was only because the security was in place that the criminal could be stopped and arrested.”
CCTV footage released by the police indicates that the perpetrator Vinoth walked all the way from Nandanam signal through Saidapet, Little Mount, and reached Raj Bhavan to throw the petrol bombs. It raises the question as to how he could do this under the influence of alcohol. The footage also shows what seems like the police were waiting for him to finish the task and then appeared to apprehend him. That he was able to throw the first bomb indicates there was no one at the barricade.
#BREAKING | “ஆளுநர் மாளிகையின் புகார் முற்றிலும் உண்மைக்கு புறம்பானது. – வெளியான சிசிடிவி காட்சிகள்!”
சம்பவத்தன்று நடந்த சிசிடிவி காட்சிகளை வெளியீட்டு தமிழ்நாடு காவல்துறை அதிரடி விளக்கம்!#Rajbhavan | #TNPolice | #KalaignarSeithigal | @tnpoliceoffl pic.twitter.com/NGiZYltD8s
— Kalaignar Seithigal (@Kalaignarnews) October 27, 2023
Additionally, the Raj Bhavan’s official X handle states that the police failed to register the complaint given by them and rather arrested the individual under suo moto charges of vandalism.
— RAJ BHAVAN, TAMIL NADU (@rajbhavan_tn) October 26, 2023
Coming to news media, channels like Sun News and alleged fact-checkers like YouTurn also played along to trivialise the matter.
Sun News
News portals which are ultimately the mouthpiece of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government, especially Sun News, were quick to dismiss that the bombs were not hurled “inside” the premises but rather, they fell outside the gate. Critics argue whether the gate does not constitute the residence of the Governor. If not, it is unclear why the police are assigned duty there.
#BREAKING | ஆளுநர் மாளிகையின் வெளியே பெட்ரோல் குண்டு வீச்சு – அமைச்சர் ரகுபதி விளக்கம்#SunNews | #RNRavi | #RajBhavan pic.twitter.com/IkucfdKEAP
— Sun News (@sunnewstamil) October 26, 2023
Iyan Karthikeyan – YouTurn
In an attempt to “fact-check” Raj Bhavan’s posts, self-proclaimed fact-checker YouTurn also pushed the same words stated by the Additional Commissioner of Chennai City Police. self-styled ‘fact-checker’ Iyan Karthikeyan who is known for peddling DMK’s propaganda seemingly justified the attack using Additional Commissioner Prem Anand Sinha’s statement saying that “no damage has been caused by the petrol bomb”. He said “How is Governor R.N.Ravi and his Raj Bhavan making exaggerated claims of ‘severe damage to main entrance’?”
After the ‘petrol bomb’ incident in front of the main gate of the Governor’s bungalow in Sardar Patel Road Guindy, Raj Bhavan had issued a statement claiming, ‘severe damage to main entrance’. But where is this severe damage? Look at the photos below. Addl. Commissioner Prem… pic.twitter.com/ovM8HY7xIH
— Iyan Karthikeyan (@Iyankarthikeyan) October 26, 2023
Critics are that just because the bombs fell outside the gate, would it not count as an attack on a constitutional position?
Sumanth Raman
Political commentator Sumanth Raman known for making remarks on topics beyond his paygrade also trivialised the incident. He wrote,
“Law and order in the State does not break down when one possibly deranged person hurls two petrol bombs on the road in front of the Raj Bhavan Gate. #PetrolBomb”. When a social media user replied saying “It’s not hurling of the bomb, but the ease of availability of such a bomb that’s the concern.”, Sumanth Raman replied saying, “A petrol bomb is nothing but petrol set alight with some cloth in a bottle and thrown”
Several netizens questioned whether Sumanth Raman would justify a terrorist in the same manner.
Hope he will not say that a terrorist is nothing but just a combination of organs in the human body. https://t.co/pKg2dj5ZQV pic.twitter.com/uKaTLK119l
— Varun Kumar Rana (@VarunKrRana) October 26, 2023
Some other reactions include:
An improvised explosive device is nothing but hexogen detonated using fulminated mercury in a metal casing. https://t.co/nLIhIk9gTr
— Shaunak Agarkhedkar (@ShaunakSA) October 26, 2023
– Acid attack is nothing but acid in a bottle thrown.
– Bullet is nothing but a piece of metal shot from a gun which itself is made using several pieces of metal. https://t.co/TY0wTN5l2Z
— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) October 26, 2023
True… petrol bomb hurled at the governor's residence in Tamil Nadu is not the breakdown of L&O… will be a break down only if it happens in a BJP ruled state https://t.co/UEyyWRP9WK
— KishoreIyer (@KishoreIyer5) October 25, 2023
A nuke is nothing but a few decaying isotopes thrown into a cannister 🤦♂️ u too sumanth? https://t.co/Irz124DgJM
— कृஷ்ண G शेषाத்ri (@hormndoc) October 26, 2023
A cylinder bomb is nothing but some IED prepared at home. Just kills few hundreds of people and produces lifelong injuries for some. Nothing serious at all. https://t.co/ScY4iByM6E
— Easy Normal Hard 🕉 🇮🇳 (@Symbianian) October 25, 2023
In an attempt to save face, Sumanth Raman made another post.
This tweet was in reply to a person asking how material for a petrol bomb was so easily available. The comments to this tweet show that the faithful either did not read the question or are on their usual trolling. https://t.co/6c6eIlfzGI
— Sumanth Raman (@sumanthraman) October 26, 2023
Savukku Shankar
Political commentator Savukku Shankar also played his part in trivialising the attack on the Governor’s residence.
இவன் நீட் தேர்வு எழுதும்போது இதே மாதிரி செக்கிங் பண்ணிருப்பாங்க போல.
காண்டாயிட்டான்.
ஒரு நல்ல டாக்டரை இழந்துட்டோம் 🤷🏻♀️ pic.twitter.com/SPpSyskaLB
— Savukku Shankar (@SavukkuOfficial) October 25, 2023
He called the attack on Raj Bhavan a non-issue while targeting the DMK on another murder that happened recently.
This murder was reported to be ordered from prison. The murdered was a close relative of late DMK weight KPP Samy.
This is the real state of law and order in the state. The raj bhavan attack may be a non-issue, but this murder and a spate of murders for tenders, land deals… pic.twitter.com/bW5mGZ5488
— Savukku Shankar (@SavukkuOfficial) October 27, 2023
In an interview to Red Pix, Savukku Shankar says “this is not a big attack” downplaying the incident while giving a comical take Karukku Vinoth’s liquor habit.
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