For the past a few days, objectionable AI-generated videos of Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj have surfaced on social media, triggering resentment in the Sikh diaspora, the Congress and other Opposition parties.
They are demanding strict action against mischievous elements who have not spared even the Jathedar — considered the supreme temporal and spiritual leader of the Sikh community.
Congress MLA Pargat Singh and Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) leader Manpreet Ayali urging the DGP to take action against the AI-generated videos of the Akal Takht Jathedar.
“Now even the religious heads are not being spared. The digital war is overshadowing actual governance issues by severely polluting social media platforms with targeted disinformation,” they said.
With the state Assembly elections round the corner, deepfakes and AI-generated content is increasingly being used to target and marginalise religious heads and political leaders through derogatory memes and fake videos. There are growing calls for legal action against users and platforms hosting such content.
After hurling blasphemy allegations against each other, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) are now indulging in an ugly political deepfake war on social media.
Senior advocate Dilip Batish said the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression did not permit injuring the reputation of any individual or public representative. “The IT Act will remain the foundation of any complaint. Sharing of such videos could also invite action under relevant sections. The motive of the person sharing the video is important,” he stressed.
Political scientists and sociologists feel that deepfakes have become a tool for political parties to peddle lies about their opponents.
Parminder Singh Bhogal, an alumnus of JNU and former professor of political science, said, “This entire nasty cacophony is deliberately designed to create a false and irrelevant political narrative in the state with the motive to play on ephemeral emotional issues and win the elections.”
Climate activist Samita Kaur said, “Politicians should concentrate on the issues related to the state. Let religious matters be taken up by religious heads. Personal attacks are a sign of shallowness that has crept into society and people should keep away from such statements.”
Rashpal Singh Sosan, spokesperson for the Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), a party led by Faridkot MP Amritpal Singh, said, “Artificial intelligence should not be used for character assassination of a respected personality. The social media war between AAP and the Shiromani Akali Dal has crossed all limits and both parties are evading the real issues of Punjab like drugs and crime by attacking each other.”
As social media becomes a key driver in shaping public opinion, deepfake videos are being aggressively circulated and watched by large audiences.
