The Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) deleted a controversial artificial intelligence (AI)-generated video from its official social media handle following severe backlash. The clip depicted a fabricated scenario wherein Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was slapped, escalating political tensions as parties gear up for the 2027 state assembly elections.
Key Reactions and Developments
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BJP Leadership Distance: Punjab BJP President Kewal Singh Dhillon distanced himself from the post, stating that he had not seen the video and condemning it if it caused any insult to the Chief Minister, for whom he expressed personal respect.
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Political Condemnation: Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi criticized the use of deepfake and AI-generated attacking content, emphasizing that political rivals must maintain standard decorum.
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Broader Context: The incident highlights the growing weaponization of synthetic media and deepfakes in Indian political campaigns, prompting renewed calls for accountability and ethical limits on digital content creation.
