Rijiju accuses Congress of using AI-generated photo to inflate INDIA Bloc rally crowd
Synopsis
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused Congress of circulating an AI-generated photograph to inflate crowd numbers at the INDIA Bloc's 'Chalo Dilli' rally at Ramlila Maidan — a charge that, if verified, would mark a new frontier in AI-driven political disinformation in India. The BJP simultaneously claimed up to 40% of the venue was vacant, directly challenging Congress's assertion of 10 lakh attendees.
Key Takeaways
Kiren Rijiju accused Congress of sharing an AI-generated crowd photo from the INDIA Bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan on 2 November 2026 .
The image, posted by a Congress MP from Telangana , appeared to show Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi on a stage inconsistent with the actual venue.
BJP MP Sambit Patra claimed around 40% of Ramlila Maidan was vacant and that 5,000–7,000 chairs out of 28,000 were empty between 3.30 pm and 4 pm .
Congress had claimed 10 lakh people attended the rally, which was organised to demand the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar .
The image had not been independently verified by a forensic digital-media body as of the time of reporting.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday, 2 November 2026, accused the Congress of circulating an AI-generated photograph purporting to show a massive crowd at the INDIA Bloc's 'Chalo Dilli' rally at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi, alleging the party was using artificial intelligence to push a misleading narrative about Sunday's turnout.
What Rijiju Said on X
In a post on X, Rijiju wrote: 'Even the fake AI photo to show that Ramlila ground was full is not done properly by the fake narrative team of Congress Party!' He attached to his post an image shared by a Congress MP from Telangana, which showed a densely packed crowd at the Opposition rally. Multiple users on X also flagged the image as AI-generated, pointing to depictions of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi on a rally stage that appeared visually inconsistent with the actual venue setup.
The BJP's Parallel Offensive on Rally Numbers
The AI-image row unfolded alongside a sharper political dispute over attendance figures. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday declared the rally a 'flop show', alleging that the crowd fell far short of what the Opposition had projected. At a press conference, BJP MP Sambit Patra displayed a video of the venue and claimed that around 40 per cent of Ramlila Maidan was vacant during the event.
Patra further alleged that of the 28,000 chairs arranged at the venue, between 5,000 and 7,000 were empty in the window between 3.30 pm and 4 pm. He also drew a pointed comparison with the Congress's ongoing allegations around the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls: 'They keep saying, "Votes have been deleted." Rahul Gandhi had claimed that 10 lakh of their voters would be present today. But what does the overall calculation show?'
The Congress Claim and the Rally's Purpose
The INDIA Bloc had organised the 'Chalo Dilli' rally to demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. Senior Congress figures including Rahul Gandhi and Pawan Khera had claimed that 10 lakh people would attend. The BJP challenged those figures and accused the party of resorting to 'trick photography' to bolster claims of mass participation, an allegation Congress had not formally responded to as of the time of reporting.
Context: A Pattern of Crowd-Count Disputes
Disputes over rally attendance are a recurring feature of Indian political mobilisation, with rival parties routinely contesting turnout claims after large Opposition or ruling-party events. The fresh element here is the allegation of AI image manipulation — a charge that, if verified, would mark a notable escalation in the use of generative AI tools in domestic political communication. Notably, the image in question has not yet been independently verified or authenticated by a forensic digital-media organisation as of the time of publication.
What Happens Next
The controversy is likely to intensify scrutiny on both the INDIA Bloc's rally claims and the BJP's counter-narrative as the political calendar grows busier. Independent fact-checkers are expected to examine the circulated image more closely, and the episode could deepen the broader national conversation around AI-generated political disinformation ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.
Point of View
Which both sides play every election cycle. If a sitting MP's social media handle did circulate a demonstrably AI-fabricated crowd scene, it would represent a qualitative shift in how Indian political parties use generative AI for narrative management. The absence of an independent forensic verification at the time of reporting is a gap that mainstream coverage has largely glossed over. The BJP's own counter-narrative — built on selective video and chair-count estimates — is also unverified. Both parties have an incentive to control the perception of momentum, and neither has invited neutral scrutiny.
NationPress
2 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Kiren Rijiju accuse Congress of doing at the Ramlila Maidan rally?
Rijiju accused Congress of circulating an AI-generated photograph designed to make the crowd at the INDIA Bloc's 'Chalo Dilli' rally at Ramlila Maidan on 2 November appear far larger than it actually was. He shared the image — originally posted by a Congress MP from Telangana — on X, calling it the work of the party's 'fake narrative team'.
What was the INDIA Bloc's 'Chalo Dilli' rally about?
The 'Chalo Dilli' rally, held at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on Sunday, was organised by the INDIA Bloc to demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Congress and allied Opposition parties claimed 10 lakh people attended the event.
What did BJP MP Sambit Patra claim about the rally attendance?
Patra claimed at a press conference that around 40% of Ramlila Maidan was vacant during the rally and that between 5,000 and 7,000 of the 28,000 chairs arranged were empty between 3.30 pm and 4 pm. He called the event a 'flop show' and accused Congress of using trick photography.
Has the AI-generated image been independently verified?
As of the time of reporting, the image had not been independently verified or authenticated by a forensic digital-media organisation. Multiple users on X flagged it as AI-generated, pointing to visual inconsistencies in the depiction of the stage and of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
Why does the AI-image controversy matter beyond the rally dispute?
If confirmed, it would mark a notable escalation in the use of generative AI tools for political disinformation in India. Crowd-count disputes are routine, but the alleged fabrication of photographic evidence using AI raises broader questions about the integrity of visual information in political campaigning ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.
