New Delhi [India], October 7 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the social media platform 'X' and the BJP's Assam unit on a plea seeking the removal of an AI-generated, controversial video posted by it that portrays a "Muslim takeover" of the state if the party loses the assembly polls next year.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta heard the matter and issued notice in the case to 'X' and the Assam BJP unit.
The application sought direction for 'X' to take down the video immediately to prevent further communal disharmony.
Advocate Nizam Pasha, appearing for the applicant, said, "A video has been posted as part of upcoming election... it shows that in case a certain political party does not come to power, a certain community will take over...it shows people with skullcaps and beards..."
He urged the apex court to initiate appropriate penal action against those responsible for the content.
An application filed through advocate Lzafeer Ahmad stated that a video circulated on 'X' on September 15 by the BJP Assam unit depicts visibly Muslim individuals taking over Assam landmarks, including tea estates, Guwahati airport, Rang Ghar, and government lands.
"The ruling dispensation, BJP-Assam is bound by the Constitution of India and thereby is bound to uphold the secular values that form part of the basic structure of the Constitution. However, the video circulated by its official Twitter openly targets, vilifies and demonises Muslims. The broad message of the video is that the worst fate that a state can be met with is its takeover by Muslims, and on the strength of the assurance that if the BJP is voted into power the state would be saved from the same, support is being sought," application stated.
It added that the video shows the "gross failure as well as the complete disregard of secular values" that the ruling dispensation of any state of our country is bound to uphold.
"It is further submitted that a state government, elected and formed under the Constitution of India, is the guardian of all communities and is specifically prohibited by the Constitution from engaging in discrimination inter alia on the basis of religion, race, caste, gender, language. Thus, the burden of being fair, just and secular is far greater on an elected government. In this regard it is pertinent to note that even private citizens are prohibited under law from making communal speeches or spreading communal disharmony," the application further stated.
It said that the video was shared on the official 'X' handle of the BJP-Assam unit on September 15, and as of September 18, it has been reposted 6100 times, liked 19,000 times, and viewed 4.6 million times.
"Thus, the same is required to be taken down immediately to contain any further spread of communal disharmony, unrest and enmity," it said.
The application was filed in a PIL seeking action against hate speeches or hate crimes across the country.