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FIR against UP Congress chief Ajay Rai over remarks against PM Modi, he blames it on AI-generated video
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including chief minister Yogi Adityanath and the party’s state president Pankaj Chaudhary, have condemned the alleged remarks
A case has been lodged against Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai and his supporters for allegedly making objectionable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a programme in Mahoba district on Friday, police said on Saturday.
A purported video of Ajay Rai surfaced on Friday in which he was seen and heard using allegedly abusive language against Modi in Mahoba on Friday during his visit to meet an alleged rape victim’s family. He was also purportedly seen using abusive language against the district superintendent of police.
Rai has maintained that the purported video showing him making the alleged remarks is “AI-generated”.
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including chief minister Yogi Adityanath and the party’s state president Pankaj Chaudhary, have condemned the alleged remarks.
Additional superintendent of police (Mahoba) Vandana Singh said, “A case has been lodged against Ajay Rai and his associates. Police are investigating the matter and will take further action.”
The FIR was lodged at Mahoba’s Kotwali Nagar police station on Saturday on the complaint of Neeraj Rawat, a BJP worker.
The FIR was filed against Ajay Rai, former Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee secretary Brijraj Ahirwar along with 25-30 supporters under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 352 (intentional insults), 196(1) (promote enmity and hatred), 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 132 (using criminal force against a public servant to deter them from performing their official duties).
According to the complaint, Rai attended a programme organised on May 22 in Samad Nagar locality. Rawat alleged that Rai arrived with a convoy of 15-16 vehicles and 25-30 supporters, causing obstruction on a public road and affecting normal movement in the area.
The complainant further alleged that police and administrative personnel had to leave their regular duties to maintain law and order at the venue.
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He also accused Rai of using “abusive and objectionable language” against the prime minister during the programme, claiming that videos of the remarks later went viral on social media.
Rawat alleged in his complaint that the remarks hurt public sentiments. He submitted a pen drive containing the purported viral video to the police as evidence and sought legal action against Rai, Brijraj Ahirwar and 25-30 unidentified supporters.
Terming the video fake and AI-generated, Rai said he would lodge a police complaint in the matter once he reaches Lucknow.
Rai claimed the case was being used to divert attention from the alleged sexual assault of a Dalit girl in Mahoba.
Rai also alleged that the administration attempted to stop him from meeting the victim’s family by deploying heavy police force in the area.
“An “AI-generated video” is being circulated to suppress the issue and deny justice to the girl,” he said, adding that he would continue raising the issue even if “hundreds of FIRs” were lodged against him.
The development comes amid a political row in Uttar Pradesh over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks targeting the prime minister, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh during a rally in Rae Bareli.
Earlier this week, cross complaints were filed in Lucknow against Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh minister Dinesh Pratap Singh over the remarks and the BJP leader’s response to them.
Hitting out at Ajay Rai, chief minister Yogi Adityanath claimed that it is a deep-rooted political culture of the Congress.
In a post on X, Adityanath said, “The indecent, unparliamentary and unforgivable remarks made by the Uttar Pradesh Congress president against respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi exposed the Congress’ deep-rooted political culture.”
Without naming Rahul Gandhi, the chief minister also said that earlier, too, the ‘Yuvraj’ of the Congress had displayed the same lack of values in his conduct and statements.
Uttar Pradesh BJP chief and Union minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary termed Rai’s comments “highly condemnable”, “unfortunate”, and reflective of the “desperate” mindset of the Congress.
In a statement issued by the BJP, Chaudhary said, “The statement constitutes an insult, not merely to the prime minister, but also to the sentiments of the country’s 140 crore citizens who view the prime minister as a symbol of development, security, and dignity.”
Chaudhary also demanded that the Congress leadership immediately issue a public apology and instruct its leaders to use restraint and dignified language.
(With PTI inputs)
