Jaffna MP Angajan Ramanathan Accused of Slapping A Government Official? Here’s the Truth!

Social Media Posts :

A viral short video shows a person slapping another man who appears to be an official. The text accompanying the video states that this is a scene of Jaffna MP Angajan Ramanathan slapping a government official, as seen below.

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The video quickly spread on social media, with many criticising the MP for alleged misconduct.

The video went viral on WhatsApp and was forwarded multiple times, amplifying the false claim that Jaffna MP Angajan Ramanathan was involved in the incident.

We are conducting a fact check to uncover the truth behind this claim

Fact-Check :

Upon reviewing the video, we found no audible speech was heard, and no signs or visual markers confirmed the location as a bank or government office.

Through reverse image searches and video verification tools, it was determined that the video does not show MP Angajan Ramanathan. Instead, it depicts an incident from Maharastra, India.

The video shows the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana youth wing leader named Mayur Borde slapping a bank manager, accusing him of harassing farmers.

Several local news reports from India confirm that this incident occurred during a protest. The youth leader attacked the bank manager for allegedly denying loans to struggling farmers. Articles can be seen here, here, and here.

Presented below is a comprehensive report from an Indian media outlet regarding the entire video at this time

Correspondent Verification:

Our team contacted local journalists in Jaffna, particularly in the area where MP Angajan Ramanathan lives. Villagers and local sources confirmed that no such incident involving the MP had occurred.

Similar Physical Appearance:

One key reason why the video may have misled people is that the individual slapping the bank manager in the video bears physical similarities to MP Angajan Ramanathan. Both have a similar build and facial features, which likely contributed to the false attribution.

Angajan Ramanathan:

Angajan Ramanathan has categorically denied the allegation, stating that the person seen in the viral video is not him and that no similar incident has occurred either. Former MP Angajan called the claim a deliberate attempt to spread misinformation.

MP Angajan Ramanathan is contesting the parliamentary election 2024 from Jaffna District under a new alliance called the Democratic National Alliance. He has served the previous two parliaments under the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). More on this here.

Conclusion:

The claim that Jaffna MP Angajan Ramanathan slapped a government servant is false. The video is about an old incident in Maharastra. India. MP Ramanathan has denied involvement, and local sources in Jaffna have verified that no such incident occurred.