Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has levelled accusations against the Congress party, claiming it utilised an AI-generated photograph to create a false impression of a massive turnout at the INDIA bloc’s protest rally held on November 1 at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan. In a social media post on X, Mr. Rijiju mocked the party’s efforts, suggesting that if they intended to circulate a fake narrative, they should have at least ensured the artificial image was prepared with greater attention to detail.
"To show a large crowd in Ramlila Maidan, the Congress Party should have at least prepared the AI-generated photo properly," Mr. Rijiju stated. "Even the fake AI photo to show that Ramlila ground was full is not done properly by the fake narrative team of the Congress Party!" The Minister’s remarks were prompted by an image shared by Congress MP Vamsi Gaddam and other party functionaries, which reportedly depicted the venue packed with supporters.
This confrontation over the scale of the rally turnout highlights the ongoing political tensions between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition. The INDIA bloc organised the "Chalo Dilli" march to register their dissent against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Following the event, BJP leader Sambit Patra challenged the claims made by Opposition figures regarding the crowd size. Mr. Patra alleged that while organisers had hinted at a massive turnout, the reality was starkly different, noting that approximately 5,000 to 7,000 chairs out of 28,000 remained unoccupied between 3:30 pm and 4:00 pm.
"You can see in the background that 40 per cent of the Ramlila Maidan, 40 per cent of the space, was vacant," Mr. Patra claimed. He further argued that these figures contradicted the high expectations set by Congress leadership ahead of the protest. In response to these claims, the Indian Youth Congress maintained that their mobilization efforts were substantial, asserting that over 20,000 of its workers travelled from various parts of the country to attend the rally.
The rally featured speeches from prominent Opposition figures, including Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. During his address, Mr. Gandhi sharply criticized Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging he was facilitating "vote theft." He stated that the Opposition would continue to pursue the matter, demanding accountability for the integrity of the electoral process.
Mr. Gandhi characterized the rally as a broader movement for the country rather than a project of a single political entity, emphasizing a commitment to protecting the Constitution. He further alleged that the current leadership in the government was dependent on the support of the Election Commission. The protest march, which originated at the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction, saw thousands gathered at the grounds to voice their demands regarding election transparency.
As the debate over the rally’s turnout and the use of digital imagery continues, the Indian Youth Congress has declared that its agitation, termed "Freedom Struggle 2.0," will persist. National president Uday Bhanu Chib reiterated that the organization remains focused on securing the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, citing concerns over the credibility of India’s electoral mechanisms as the primary motivation for their ongoing campaign.
Comments