Ram Mohan Naidu, who arrived at the crash site to oversee rescue and relief operations, shared the video on X that depicted his visit with edits that one sees in movies after shooting, including slow-motion sequences and melancholic background music.
Published Jun 13, 2025 | 10:51 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 13, 2025 | 10:51 AM
Snaps from Ram Mohan Naidu's video on X.
Synopsis: Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu has faced severe backlash after posting a video showcasing his visit to the site of the tragic Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad on social media.
There’s something inexplicable about Union ministers and their woefully wrong obsession with reels, edited videos and insensitive clickbait content on social media, especially in times of crisis.
Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu faced severe backlash after a video showcasing his visit to the site of the tragic Air India flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, 12 June, began circulating on social media.
The video, featuring slow-motion effects and sombre background music, has been widely criticised on social media platforms, particularly X, for its perceived insensitivity during a national tragedy.
The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, plunging into the Meghani area near a medical college hostel.
The disaster, one of the worst aviation incidents in recent Indian history, claimed the lives of several people near the crash site and left only one passenger, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh — a British national of Indian origin — as the sole survivor.
The crash also claimed the life of prominent BJP leader and former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, intensifying the public’s grief.
Ram Mohan Naidu, who arrived at the crash site to oversee rescue and relief operations, shared the video on X that depicted his visit with edits that one sees in movies after shooting, including slow-motion sequences and melancholic background music. The video has made one wonder if a team was commissioned to shoot the video.
The presentation sparked outrage among netizens, who labelled it a “PR stunt” and accused the minister of exploiting a tragedy for political optics. Posts on X described it as “shameless” and “disgusting,” arguing that such edits trivialised the gravity of the situation.
Television Anchor and commentator Sumanth Raman wrote on X: “You do not make a reel of your visit to a disaster site with background music and editing. This is insensitive.” Another user, Karthik, said, “Andhra Parties are not known for their sensitivity.”
Yet another user, Thyagu, said: “They (politicians) are puppets. The newly emerged PR industry is dictating what to do, how to react and how to narrate. Otherwise, a politician will not have such body language and allow BGM videos. We can see such insensitiveness in all govt and politicians across the country.”
Several users said that Naidu had disabled comments on the post, interpreting it as an acknowledgement of the video’s inappropriate nature.
The incident has drawn comparisons to similar actions by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who previously faced criticism for sharing edited videos. Social media users pointed out a pattern among some ministers, with one stating, “Ashwini Vaishnaw is also known to circulate such edited videos in the past.”
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
