As Bhagwant Mann Video Row Rages How Ai Is Shaping Political Battles In Punjab

A less-than-40-second purported video circulating on social media has triggered a political storm in Punjab, dragging Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) into a controversy months ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

The video, allegedly showing a man resembling Mann desecrating images of Sikh Gurus by sprinkling liquor on them, has sparked political confrontation, forensic claims and counterclaims, and a widening debate over the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in electoral politics.

While the CM initially dismissed the video as AI-generated, the Akal Takht later termed the video “authentic” citing a forensic assessment. Mann subsequently shifted stance, alleging the person in the video was not him but an actor deployed to defame him. He later added that discrepancies in physique ruled out his identity.

Mann on Thursday suggested that the individual in the video was wearing a mask to impersonate him and that the footage was shot in a hotel room in Canada to malign him.

The row has brought the focus on AI usage by political parties.

Parties in the state are increasingly putting out AI videos to target rivals while simultaneously dismissing inconvenient content as fabricated.

The AAP, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Congress have all used AI-generated videos portraying fictitious conversations between political leaders, often mimicking real voices. These videos are typically labelled as “AI-generated”, but experts warn the distinction is increasingly lost on ordinary viewers.

In one such video shared by the SAD, Mann is shown reacting violently after watching a televised statement from the Akal Takht, followed by a staged conversation involving his wife and a fictional directive to police officials to get a fake forensic report in his favour. The clip then cuts to real footage of Mann addressing the media.

The AAP too has relied on AI to target rivals. One such video shows an imagined private conversation between SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bathinda MP and his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal, portraying internal discord and political frustration.

The Congress, too, has jumped onto the AI bandwagon and put out a video showing Mann and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal discussing electoral promises and voter messaging strategies in a fabricated conversation.

Social media teams of parties acknowledge the growing use of AI tools, citing platforms capable of generating scripts, voices, and video avatars within hours.

According to a SAD social media handler, characters are created using real photographs, while voice cloning tools replicate speech patterns from public recordings. “We are using some expensive, hi-tech AI-software and tools to create such videos. First, a character is created using real photos of the person. For instance, Mann’s real photo is used to create a real-time character on screen using software. Then a script is finalised and dialogues are lip-synced using another software. It takes two to three hours to produce a near-real video,” the functionary said, adding that outsourced teams handle much of the production.

AAP and Congress leaders handling social media insist that AI should be used cautiously and preferably for satire or light political messaging rather than defamatory content. “The line between AI-generated and real content is becoming increasingly thin,” said a Congress social media coordinator, pointing to tools such as Runway and ChatGPT-based video generators used for rapid content creation.

While SAD maintains that AI videos are meant for political commentary, party spokespersons admit the medium raises credibility concerns. “People watch AI videos for entertainment but the seriousness and credibility of real videos cannot be matched. Yes, we are using it as it is a new trend but AI videos always leave a question mark on the authenticity of the content,” said party spokesperson Parambans Singh Bunty Romana, who also is involved in social media strategy.

BJP leaders in Punjab, meanwhile, say they have avoided AI-generated political content, focusing instead on “real issues and ground videos”. Saying that the party is yet to use AI in the campaign for the upcoming polls, social media in-charge Ajay Arora said, “AI is good for entertainment but far away from reality. People are smart enough to differentiate between AI-generated and real.”

AAP spokesperson Neel Garg acknowledged both the potential and risks of AI, stating it should be used for constructive engagement rather than “character assassination”.

Ex-AAP MLA and former editor Kanwar Sandhu wrote on X: “Social media videos, fake reports, allegations, denials have blurred the lines between truth and falsehood. It is very unfortunate that Punjab polity and society have been reduced to its lowest level ever. The 2027 Assembly polls are an opportunity for course correction but what are options before people?”