Assam Congress moves police over alleged BJP AI video, flags communal content
Supreme Court plea seeks limits on speeches by top constitutional functionaries citing Assam CM controversy recent remarks
Congress MLAs after filing the FIR at Dispur Police Station (AT Image)
Guwahati, Feb 10: With the dates for the Assam Assembly elections expected to be announced in the coming days, political tensions between the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress have intensified.
The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), on Tuesday, lodged a formal complaint at Dispur Police Station against the BJP, accusing it of circulating a communally provocative, AI-generated video from the BJP Assam unit’s official account on a microblogging platform.
The complaint, filed by Congress MLAs Sibamoni Bora and Diganta Barman, alleged that the video, posted on February 7, depicted Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma holding a pistol and symbolically targeting members of the minority community.
According to the complaint, the video carried inflammatory phrases such as “no mercy”, “why didn’t you go to Pakistan?” and “there is no forgiveness for Bangladeshis”.
The Congress claimed the content deliberately targeted Bengali-speaking Muslims in the state, often referred to derogatorily as “Miyas” or “Bangladeshis”, and was capable of provoking communal tension.
“The content is highly provocative and communal in nature and is likely to cause serious social disharmony,” the complaint stated, urging the police to register a case under appropriate penal provisions and initiate immediate action.
Speaking to the press after submitting the complaint, MLA Barman said the video had drawn condemnation beyond Assam.
“A video portraying the Chief Minister indulging in violent action against minorities was posted from the BJP Assam account. One of the visuals even carried the image of APCC president Gaurav Gogoi. This is unacceptable in a democracy, and that is why we have sought strict legal action,” he said.
Congress MLA Bora alleged that the video was taken down only after widespread outrage. “There was an attempt to communalise politics by portraying violence against a particular community. After public backlash and multiple complaints, the video was deleted. Yet the Chief Minister continues to make baseless statements, assuming people will accept anything said against Gaurav Gogoi,” she said.
Meanwhile, the political row has coincided with a legal challenge in the Supreme Court. A group of 12 citizens, including former civil servants, diplomats, academicians, researchers, entrepreneurs and civil society members, has approached the apex court under Article 32 of the Constitution, flagging what they described as “derogatory and exclusionary” speeches made by the Chief Minister and other constitutional functionaries.
The petition refers to recent remarks attributed to the Chief Minister on “Miya Muslims” and recalls earlier statements in which he allegedly blamed members of a particular community for rising vegetable prices and invoked the issue of “love jihad”.
It also cites statements in which the Chief Minister is alleged to have spoken about removing four to five lakh voters belonging to a particular religious community from electoral rolls.
The plea seeks clear guidelines from the Supreme Court to regulate public speeches by holders of high constitutional offices.
“Holders of public office are not ordinary speakers. Their words carry the imprimatur of the State, influence administrative action, shape public perception, and can have a chilling or exclusionary effect on vulnerable communities, even in the absence of direct incitement,” the petition states.