Patna HC orders Congress to take down AI video of PM Modi's mother

Patna High Court on Wednesday ordered the Congress party to immediately remove a controversial AI-generated video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother, Heeraben, from all social media platforms. The directive, issued by Acting Chief Justice PB Bajantri, came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and marks a major setback for the Congress's Bihar unit, which had posted the video on September 10. The court's decision underscores the growing legal scrutiny of content generated by artificial intelligence in the political sphere, particularly when it involves personal and sensitive subjects.

The 36-second video, explicitly labeled "AI GENERATED," depicted a dream-like sequence where "Prime Minister Modi is seen dreaming about his late mother who is criticising him over his politics in poll-bound Bihar." The video quickly went viral, drawing sharp condemnation from the BJP and its NDA allies, who accused the Congress of resorting to "shameful" and "vile" tactics to target the Prime Minister. They argued that the video was a political provocation intended to incite controversy ahead of the upcoming high-stakes Bihar Assembly elections.

The BJP's Delhi Election Cell convenor, Sanket Gupta, filed a formal complaint with the Delhi Police, leading to a case being registered against the Congress and its IT cell on September 13. Gupta's complaint described the video as "defamatory" and claimed it offended the dignity not only of PM Modi's mother but also of motherhood in general. The legal action in Delhi highlights the national outrage and the seriousness with which the BJP is treating the matter.

For the Congress, the video was a form of political satire, and the party has maintained that no disrespect was intended towards PM Modi or his late mother. They have tried to justify the video as a mother's advice to her son, a narrative that has failed to gain traction amidst the strong public backlash. The party's defense has been largely dismissed by its political opponents as a desperate attempt to deflect from their apathetic behavior.