On the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the day of the Pitra Paksha ritual for his late mother, the Patna High Court directed the Congress party to immediately take down an AI-generated video circulating on social media. The video, posted on the official X handle of the Bihar Congress Committee, falsely portrays a statement by PM Modi’s mother criticising government policies and making defamatory remarks about the upcoming Bihar elections.
Legal and constitutional concerns
The court noted that the video’s circulation violates fundamental rights, including the right to privacy and reputation as enshrined under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. Such content was deemed disgraceful, distasteful, and dishonouring, prompting the court to issue an interim order blocking further dissemination of the video and requiring existing uploads to be removed.
Political backlash and FIR
The video sparked intense political controversy, with BJP leaders condemning it as shameful and a personal attack on the Prime Minister and his family. BJP has filed an FIR against unnamed Congress members under sections related to forgery, defamation, and criminal conspiracy. Congress has defended the video, arguing it was meant to offer political critique and not disrespect. The case is ongoing, with further hearings expected to address the deeper issues of AI-generated content and political accountability.
Notably, a viral AI-generated video posted by the Bihar Congress allegedly showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi dreaming about his late mother, Hiraben Modi, who is lambasting him over his politics. The party had come under fire earlier too, when a video of an unknown person at the stage of Congress-led’ Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar’s Darbhanga, hurling abuses at PM Modi and his mother, surfaced on the internet. The AI-generated video sparked a political row as the BJP leaders slammed Congress.
A FIR was filed against leaders of the Indian National Congress for disseminating an AI-generated video that purportedly maligns the reputation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother. The FIR cites multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, specifically sections 18(2), 336(3), 336(4), 340(2), 352, 356(2), and 61(2).
