PATNA: The Patna High Court on Wednesday directed the Congress party to delete a 36-second AI-generated video depicting a dream-like conversation purportedly between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother, Heeraben Modi, from all social media platforms, citing violations of privacy and dignity rights.
A bench comprising acting Chief Justice P B Bajanthri and Justice Alok Kumar Sinha passed the interim order while hearing a PIL by one Vivekanand Singh on September 15. The court also issued notices to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Facebook, X platform, and Google.
A political firestorm had erupted in Bihar after the state unit of the Congress shared the video. BJP leaders, including Pradeep Bhandari, alleged that Congress created the video under the direction of Rahul Gandhi, claiming that it was a deliberate insult to the nation’s mothers and sisters.
Last week, Bihar Congress posted the video on its X handle, with a prompt in Hindi, “Sahab ke sapno mein aayi maa, Dekhiye rochak samvad.” (Mother came in sahib’s dream. Watch an interesting interaction between them). In the video, PM Modi’s mother could be heard criticising him for his politics.
Congress leader Pawan Khera later claimed, “No disrespect was intended. Where is the disrespect shown to his late mother? Show me one word, one gesture, anywhere where you see disrespect. It is the duty of the parents to educate their children. She is only educating her child, and if the child thinks that it is disrespectful towards him, it is his headache, not mine, not yours. Why does the BJP try to make an issue out of everything and try to generate fake sympathy?”
The JD(U), a BJP ally, welcomed the High Court directive. “The Congress should take a lesson from the order passed by the court,” JD(U) MLC Neeraj Kumar said.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai also took a jibe at the Congress while hailing the order. “The Congress, under Rahul Gandhi, has stooped to a new low by insulting PM Modi and his late mother,” Rai said.
Court directive follows backlash over video
Last week, Bihar Congress posted the video on its X handle, with a prompt in Hindi, “Sahab ke sapno mein aayi maa, Dekhiye rochak samvad (Mother came in sahib’s dream. Watch an interesting interaction between them).” In the video that sparked outrage, PM Modi’s mother could be heard criticising him for his politics.