The Delhi Police on Saturday filed an FIR on a BJP worker's complaint over an AI-generated "deepfake" video posted by the Congress party's Bihar unit on its X handle that allegedly tarnished the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother.
The case was filled at North Avenue Police Station, Delhi. The Congress party and the Congress IT Cell has been named the main accused in the FIR.
The Bihar Congress on September 10 posted an AI-generated video of what appears to be look-alikes of Prime Minister Modi and his mother late Heeraben. The video shows, a dreamlike conversation between PM Modi and a figure resembling to PM Modi's late mother, Heeraben Modi.
The 36-second clip, marked "AI GENERATED," has gone viral on social media and is being seen by the BJP as a personal attack on PM Modi. Congress, however, defended the clip, saying there's no disrespect towards anyone.
The caption of the post read, “Saheb ke sapne mei aayi Ma, dekhiye rochak samvaad,” which roughly translates to: “‘Ma appears in Saheb’s dreams, watch the interesting dialogue.”
Screenshot of post |
The complaint describes the visuals as defamatory and claims they offend the dignity of PM Modi’s mother, as well as motherhood in general.
The FIR is filed under multiple sections, including those dealing with defamation, insult to women, and offences that may pertain to digital misuse, as well as under relevant provisions of the IT Act and Digital Data Protection law.
“What is their objection? Just because a mother is trying to educate her son to do something right, where is the disrespect? This is neither disrespectful to the mother, whom we respect dearly, nor to the son,” senior Congress leader Pawan Khera, head of the party's media and publicity department, had said on the controversy.
Earlier on August 27 in Darbhanga, during the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ led by Congress and RJD, slogans with expletives against PM Modi and his deceased mother were allegedly shouted from the stage.
