Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, launched a sharp attack on Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of deliberately spreading 'false narratives' to defame India's constitutional institutions. Bhandari made the remarks at a press conference in New Delhi, demanding that Gandhi account for amplifying a social media post that allegedly relied on an AI-generated, fabricated video.

The Fake Video at the Centre of the Row

Bhandari alleged that Gandhi had shared a social media post claiming that the Delhi Police had attempted to sexually harass a female journalist. According to Bhandari, the Delhi Police subsequently held its own press conference, presenting evidence that the video circulating in the post had been generated using artificial intelligence by a content creator identified as Nadeem Ahmed.

'The Congress and its ecosystem attempted to propagate a fake narrative based on it — a deception that has now been exposed. Yet, Rahul Gandhi remains completely silent on this falsehood today,' Bhandari said.

Bhandari confirmed that Nadeem Ahmed has since been arrested in connection with the creation of the allegedly fabricated video.

BJP's Allegations Against the Congress Ecosystem

The BJP spokesperson went further, claiming that the Indian National Congress (INC) operates through a network of 'independent content creators' who push fictitious narratives, which senior party figures — including Gandhi — then amplify across social media platforms.

'The sole agenda of the Congress and its ecosystem is to push a fake narrative via independent content creators, which Rahul Gandhi and the party's ecosystem then attempt to amplify round-the-clock through various social media accounts,' Bhandari alleged.

He questioned whether the order to produce the video originated from Congress's IT cell, and argued that such activity amounted to an attempt to discredit the 'fourth pillar of democracy' — a reference to the free press — by embedding 'paid creators' into public movements.

Questions Directed at Gandhi

Bhandari pressed Gandhi on several specific points: why the original social media post had not been deleted after the video was confirmed as AI-generated; why no public clarification had been offered; and whether the episode constituted 'a grave injustice' to journalists who report responsibly. 'Every individual who believes in this nation's democracy should ask Rahul Gandhi a fundamental question: why is it that when your lies are repeatedly exposed, yet you fail to offer any clarification?' he said.

The BJP leader also claimed that Gandhi's political motivation is not to protect democracy but to 'bring his family back to power,' framing the alleged disinformation campaign as part of a broader effort to 'hijack Indian democracy through fake narratives.'

Context and Background

This is not the first time the BJP and Congress have clashed over the use of social media and digital content in political messaging. Both parties have repeatedly accused each other of running coordinated disinformation operations, and the arrest of individuals allegedly linked to fabricated political videos has become a recurring flashpoint. The Congress party had not issued a formal response to Bhandari's specific allegations at the time of reporting.

With the opposition and treasury benches increasingly battling over narrative control in the digital space, the episode signals an intensifying fight over the credibility of social media-driven political communication ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.