Chennai

Even a year after his thermocol ‘misadventure’, he still gets featured. The latest set of memes shows Sellur Raju tweeting in memory of the late scientist Stephen Hawking. The fake tweet which reads: “RIP Stephen Hawking. The Greatest Scientist of All Time. Thanks for Inspiring Me. #GoodByeHawking,” went viral on social media. 

The Raju joke was again revived recently after a few spotted thermocol being used as a layer between stretches of the railway overbridge constructed near Thiruvanaikoil in Trichy to prevent expansion of the bridge. Onlookers who spotted thermocol between two sections of the bridge began sharing the images which kicked up the row of the safety aspect of the bridge. 

Obviously, with thermocol being the material, a few mischief-makers credited Sellur Raju for the inspiration behind the idea. However, thermocol is sometimes used as a filler along with silicone or rubber fillings, and the minister had nothing to do with it. Raju who had become the butt of a nationwide joke following his failed initiative, had been vocal in defending his initiative as a scientific model. This, in fact, only attracted more trolls. 

Even actor-turned politician Kamal Haasan took a jibe at Sellur Raju who shot back asking whether the actor was a hydrologist or a water conservationist. On April 22, 2017, the minister launched an innovative and unconventional attempt to reduce water loss by covering a portion of the water stored in Vaigai dam, and sheets which were spread over the surface got blown away in no time.  

— R Prince Jebakumar, Chennai 

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