Assam BJP’s AI Video Sparks Outrage, Congress Moves EC as Tensions Rise Ahead of Polls
Congress plans police complaint, Owaisi calls it ‘repulsive Hindutva’, BJP defends video as ‘fact-based’ amid electoral heat
NewsArc Bureau
Guwahati, September 17, 2025: A contentious AI-generated video posted by the Assam BJP on X has ignited a political firestorm, with the Congress party lodging a formal complaint with the Election Commission (EC) and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi denouncing it as a blatant attempt at fear-mongering. The video, captioned ‘Assam without BJP’, paints a provocative scenario of the state being overtaken by the minority community, prompting sharp reactions as Assembly elections loom next year.
The clip, shared late Monday by the ‘BJP Assam Pradesh’ handle with 2.05 lakh followers, features a series of fabricated images: a man in a skullcap cutting meat labeled ‘beef legalization’, Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi and Rahul Gandhi depicted with the Pakistan flag, and scenes of men in skullcaps and women in burqas across Assam’s landmarks like tea gardens and Rang Ghar. It concludes with the text ‘90% Muslim population’ and a call to ‘Choose your vote carefully’, alongside a tagline targeting Gogoi as ‘Paijaan’, a term coined by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to label him a “Pakistani stooge”.
On Wednesday, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate took to X to tag the EC, questioning its silence with a pointed remark: “BJP is spreading venom—will you remain a mute spectator, Gyanesh ji?” Assam Congress leader Bedabrata Bora announced plans to file a police complaint at Bhangagarh station on Thursday, escalating the matter. Gogoi countered the narrative, emphasizing Assam’s rich heritage under figures like Srimanta Sankardeva and Lachit Borphukan, and called for leaders who prioritize progress over division.
Owaisi slammed the video as a “disgusting display of Hindutva ideology”, accusing the BJP of envisioning a “Muslim-mukt Bharat” and lacking substantive vision. Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Rupam Goswami defended the content, calling it a “picturisation of a fact” tied to demographic shifts from illegal Muslim immigrants, a stance echoed by Minister Pijush Hazarika on X. Hazarika challenged critics, suggesting their reactions inadvertently link all Muslims to illegal immigration, turning the debate on its head.
The video forms part of an aggressive social media strategy led by 33-year-old convenor Biswajit Khound, who oversees a young team crafting tailored content for X’s assertive tone and Facebook’s local sensibilities. This aligns with the Sarma government’s focus on deporting “suspected foreign nationals” and regulating inter-religious land sales, intensifying pre-election rhetoric.
As the controversy unfolds, the BJP continues its barrage, posting similar videos targeting Gogoi on Modi’s 75th birthday, amid a charged political landscape where every move is scrutinized. The EC’s response, if any, will be a critical test of electoral fairness in the state.
