A video generated using artificial intelligence, shared by the Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on social media on 15 September, has become the centre of a political firestorm. Opposition parties allege the clip stokes communal fear by portraying a dystopian future: Assam becoming a Muslim-majority state, opposition leaders standing under a Pakistani flag, legalised beef shops, and Muslim-dominated public spaces.
Congress in Assam filed a complaint at the Dispur Police Station, demanding an FIR for “delicate fabrication designed to incite communal discord,” as the video labels the projected scenario “Assam without BJP” and warns viewers to “choose your vote carefully.” State Congress media head Bedabrata Bora says the video “explicitly promotes fear and hatred against Muslims,” and tarnishes Congress figures, especially Rahul Gandhi and Gaurav Gogoi.
The BJP state leadership defended the video, saying it is a “depiction of demographic change in Assam” and the threat posed by illegal immigrants. Yerata Singh, BJP Assam vice-president, distinguished between what she called “original Assamese Muslims” and those she describes as “insurgent Bangladeshi” elements, framing the video as a warning about erosion of indigenous land, culture, and identity.
The video includes multiple striking visuals: men in skull caps cutting meat in public, women in hijab or burqa in heritage sites like Rang Ghar, tea gardens, the Guwahati airport and stadium; images of Rahul Gandhi and Gaurav Gogoi in front of a Pakistani flag; text claiming “90% Muslim population” under the projected scenario. Critics say these depictions distort Assam’s actual demographic data—Muslims currently make up about 34.22% of the state’s population, per the 2011 census.
The opposition’s complaint accuses BJP leaders and its social media wing of violating multiple legal provisions: incitement to communal hatred, promoting enmity between religious groups, misuse of digital platforms, and contempt for constitutional secular values. Congress has asked for a forensic investigation into the video’s origin, seizure of devices used by the BJP’s digital cell, and that social media platforms take down the content under the Information Technology Act.
Legal experts point out that content deemed to incite hatred is actionable under sections of India’s Penal Code and related laws. The Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct may also be invoked given that the Brahmaputra Valley is heading into significant elections: the Bodoland Territorial Council elections later this month and Assam state assembly elections in spring 2026.
The controversy highlights an emerging trend of AI-generated political content in India, particularly in regions sensitive to questions of identity, immigration and religious demography. Assam has long been a site of fierce debate over the Assam Accord, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and fears among indigenous communities of loss of land and cultural identity. AI-assisted visuals appear to be a newer tool in shaping public perception in these charged debates.
Opposition figures including Asaduddin Owaisi and Gaurav Gogoi have condemned the video as part of a broader pattern of polarising narrative building. Owaisi labeled it “disgusting” fear-mongering, and Gogoi said it misrepresented Assamese values and traditions.
Rahul Gandhi Alleges CEC Shielding ‘Vote Theft’ in Voter Deletion Case 