New Delhi: Union Minister of state Suresh Gopi has been slammed by the opposition after a video from his public outreach event in Thrissur went viral, showing him appearing to dismiss a senior citizen’s written plea for help.

According to a report by The Hindu, the incident took place during the Thrissur MP's interaction with constituents last week. The video shows Kochu Velayudhan, a resident of Pullu village, handing over a written petition seeking help to rebuild the collapsed roof of his house. The minister is seen returning the paper, reportedly without looking at it, prompting the elderly man to step back, visibly disheartened. Another senior citizen waiting with a petition is seen withdrawing from the scene after witnessing the exchange.

Velayudhan later told mediapersons he felt humiliated and “slunk back home in shame.” His roof had caved in during recent rains, forcing him, his ailing wife, and two children to live in a makeshift lean-to.

The incident drew swift political reactions. CPI(M) Thrissur district secretary V. Abdul Khadar visited Velayudhan at his shack, promising him a new home and criticising Gopi’s conduct as “cruelly imperious and unbecoming” of an elected representative. Khadar alleged that Gopi had repeatedly treated constituents seeking help with contempt.

Responding to the backlash, Gopi defended his stance in a Facebook post. He said he was reluctant to make promises he could not keep. “As a person holding public office, I have utmost clarity about what I can do and what I cannot. I do not swindle people by giving them assurances I cannot honour,” he wrote, adding that housing is a state subject outside the Union government's direct control.

He also accused a political party of using the episode to create controversy but said he was glad that Velayudhan’s plight had ultimately drawn support and secured him a new home.

The incident has reignited debate over how public representatives should engage with citizens. While Gopi’s defenders view his response as honest and realistic, critics argue that a basic display of empathy was warranted, especially toward a visibly distressed senior citizen.

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