Rijiju questioned the authenticity of a photograph shared by Congress MP Gaddam Vamsi Krishna from Telangana, which appeared to show a densely packed gathering at the venue. The minister alleged that the image had been artificially created to suggest substantially greater public participation than the rally attracted.
Posting on X, Rijiju said: “Even the fake AI photo to show that Ramlila ground was full is not done properly by the fake narrative team of Congress Party!”
The minister also criticised the apparent quality of the image, suggesting that those responsible had failed to reproduce the actual setting convincingly. His remarks, posted on Sunday and widely discussed on Monday, followed competing claims by the BJP and Opposition leaders about the demonstration’s attendance.
The disputed photograph was circulated by several Congress leaders and supporters, including former parliamentarian and Congress Working Committee member Jagdish Thakor. Social media users questioned its authenticity, pointing to apparent discrepancies between the stage depicted in the image and the arrangement visible at the actual rally.
The image appeared to feature representations of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi on a stage whose configuration differed from photographs of the event. These inconsistencies strengthened suspicions that the picture had been digitally generated or altered, although the precise circumstances of its creation remain unclear.
The controversy developed alongside a separate disagreement over crowd estimates. BJP leaders maintained that substantial portions of Ramlila Maidan remained unoccupied, challenging Congress assertions that the demonstration had attracted an exceptionally large gathering.
BJP parliamentarian and spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed that approximately 40 per cent of the venue was empty despite the Opposition’s extensive mobilisation efforts.
“The Congress said there will be a crowd of 10 lakh, but 40 per cent of the ground was empty,” Patra said, disputing the turnout projections publicised before the event.
Congress leaders countered the BJP’s assessment by circulating drone footage and photographs that they said demonstrated extensive participation. The party maintained that large numbers of supporters had assembled for the protest, rejecting the ruling party’s portrayal of the gathering as unsuccessful.
Neither side produced independently authenticated attendance figures establishing the total number of participants. The competing visual material also raised questions about the timing, vantage points and completeness of images used to support rival political claims.
The rally, organised under the Opposition INDIA bloc’s Chalo Dilli mobilisation, focused on allegations of electoral irregularities and demands for accountability from the Election Commission.
Opposition leaders targeted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and alleged failures in safeguarding electoral integrity. The Congress and its allies have questioned the exercise, arguing that electoral procedures must remain transparent and protect eligible voters.
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, addressed the gathering alongside Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and several prominent Opposition figures.
Among those attending were Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav.
Gandhi accused the Election Commission’s leadership of facilitating electoral manipulation and demanded action against Kumar. He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, linking the Opposition’s campaign to wider allegations concerning the conduct of elections.
The BJP rejected the allegations and challenged Congress leaders to substantiate their accusations through appropriate institutional and legal channels. The Election Commission has also rejected allegations that its electoral processes were designed to benefit the ruling party.
The Opposition’s demonstration followed a campaign questioning the independence of electoral administration, with participating parties demanding greater scrutiny of voter-list revisions and the handling of complaints concerning electoral procedures.
The dispute over the rally photograph added another dimension to those disagreements, shifting part of the political exchange towards the reliability of digitally circulated campaign material.
Artificial intelligence can produce convincing images of public gatherings, complicating efforts to distinguish authentic photographs from synthetic representations when original files and verifiable provenance are unavailable.
The November 1 demonstration brought supporters from several Opposition parties to central Delhi, with participants marching towards Ramlila Maidan from the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction before assembling for speeches by alliance leaders.
