Congress demands Election Commission action against BJP for allegedly promoting divisive narratives in Assam.
The Congress party has raised serious concerns regarding a social media video released by the Assam BJP, accusing the party of spreading divisive messages. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate criticized the 36-second artificial intelligence-generated video, which was shared on X. The video, titled “Assam without BJP,” depicts a series of visuals featuring Muslims in public settings across the state. It appears to imply that a loss of power for the Hindutva party would lead to an overwhelming Muslim presence in Assam.
The contentious video includes AI-generated images of prominent Congress figures, such as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi, positioned in front of a Pakistan flag. Additionally, it features a butcher wearing a skullcap under the label “beef legalisation,” culminating with alarming phrases like “90% Muslim population” and a warning to “choose your vote carefully.” Shrinate questioned the Election Commission’s stance on such content, expressing dismay at what she termed the BJP’s propagation of societal venom.
In her remarks, Shrinate directed her comments towards Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, asking whether he would once again overlook this type of provocative content. She emphasized the need for the Election Commission to take a stand against what she sees as the BJP’s detrimental influence. Following this, Assam Congress leader Bedabrata Bora announced plans to file a police complaint against the BJP at the Bhangagarh police station in Guwahati, further escalating the situation.
Asaduddin Owaisi, the president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, also condemned the BJP’s actions, asserting that the party’s fear-mongering goes beyond mere electoral strategy. He characterized the video’s message as a representation of the Hindutva ideology, claiming that it casts the existence of Muslims in India as a significant issue for the BJP. Owaisi remarked that the party’s ultimate goal appears to be a “Muslim-mukt Bharat,” criticizing its lack of a constructive vision for the nation.
In response to the backlash, Assam BJP spokesperson Rupam Goswami defended the video, highlighting what he described as an alarming demographic change across 14 districts in Assam. He stated that the real threat, in his view, is not from Muslims in general but from what he termed “illegal immigrant Muslims.” Goswami expressed concerns about the economic strength of this group and its potential impact on social dynamics and political rights in the region.
This incident is not isolated; the BJP Assam Pradesh account, which boasts over 200,000 followers, has previously circulated similar AI-generated videos. These have included portrayals of Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi wearing a skullcap and communicating with the chief of the Pakistan Army, Asim Munir. The ongoing controversy underscores the charged political climate in Assam, where communal narratives continue to shape the discourse.
