The officer (right) looks on as AIADMK legislators surround him in a room in Kanyakumari
A mass of angry lawmakers rails at him, wagging their fingers, but a government officer in Tamil Nadu is calm and unflappable in a video that is being widely shared on social media. The video, which shows lawmakers of the state's opposition Congress and DMK in action, has for many become a demonstration of how to stand up to the powerful and arrogant.
The officer, Ganapathy Raja, keeps his arms and refuses to react.
The lawmakers were apparently enraged that the officer did not jump to his feet the moment they walked into his room. It was an unforgiveable offence, they decided, and went on to unleash their full lung power on the officer.
The shouting soon degenerated into manhandling and abusive language. Even policemen could not stop the lawmakers, who had come with complaints about nominations for local body polls.
Four legislators, three of the Congress and one from the DMK, are among 10 people charged with obstructing an officer from doing his duty.
The legislators claim it was the officer who misbehaved with them and accuse him of working on the orders of the ruling AIADMK, but the visuals tell a different story.
The high-handed ways of politicians dealing with bureaucrats has often sparked outrage when caught on video, but very little has changed.