New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) and the BJP’s Assam unit in connection with a controversial AI-generated video allegedly promoting communal disharmony. The video, shared via the BJP Assam unit’s official handle, depicts a so-called “Muslim takeover” of the state if the party is not re-elected in the upcoming assembly polls.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued the notices while hearing an application seeking urgent removal of the video from social media to prevent further communal tension.
Advocate Nizam Pasha, representing the applicant, argued that the video was released as part of political campaigning and portrayed a narrative suggesting that if the BJP loses power, members of the Muslim community would take control of key state landmarks. “The video features individuals wearing skullcaps and beards, and implies that the community poses a threat if a certain party does not return to power,” he said.
The application, filed through advocate Lzafeer Ahmad, stated that the video—posted on September 15—depicts Muslim individuals taking over prominent Assam landmarks, including tea estates, Guwahati airport, Rang Ghar, and government lands.
According to the plea, the video violates secular principles enshrined in the Constitution and attempts to vilify an entire community for political gains. “The BJP-Assam unit, being part of the ruling establishment, is constitutionally bound to uphold secular values. The video blatantly undermines these values and promotes religious polarization,” the petition noted.
It emphasized that elected governments are obligated to protect the rights of all communities and are constitutionally prohibited from engaging in or promoting religious discrimination. The petition further highlighted that such communal content is not only unethical for political entities but also illegal for private citizens under Indian law.
The plea also cited the video’s widespread reach, noting that as of September 18, it had been viewed over 4.6 million times, liked 19,000 times, and reposted 6,100 times, calling for its immediate removal to contain any further incitement of communal discord.
The application was filed under an ongoing Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that seeks action against hate speech and hate crimes across the country.
