Guwahati: In a sinister attempt to influence public opinion as elections approach, vested interest groups have resorted to circulating fake videos of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on social media. The orchestrated misinformation campaign involves distorting the Chief Minister’s statements to portray them as anti-Christian, creating a wave of communal disharmony.
CM Sarma took to the microblogging site ‘X’ to expose this malicious attempt to tarnish his image. He urged the public to scrutinise the distorted video themselves, emphasising that as the elections draw near, such criminal intent to spread disinformation becomes more prevalent. Sarma vowed that the long arms of the law would catch up with those responsible for spreading false narratives.
The fake video, aimed at undermining the Chief Minister’s credibility, elicited a swift response from Assam’s Director General of Police (DGP), GP Singh. In response to CM Sarma’s social media post, DGP Singh assured the initiation of a criminal case by CID Assam and vowed to investigate the individuals behind this misleading campaign.
See for yourself, as elections approach, how vested groups distort a speech with the criminal intention of spreading disinformation and communal disharmony.
The long arms of the law will catch up with these elements. @DGPAssamPolice @assampolice pic.twitter.com/73jUPu9arR
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 8, 2024
Responding to the concerns raised by his Assam counterpart, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh also voiced support for CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. Manipur CM Singh attributed the circulation of the fake video to anti-national groups envious of the peace and prosperity witnessed under the BJP government in the Northeast.
Taking to the same social media platform, CM Singh stated, “There are anti-national groups which are jealous of how the North East is progressing with peace & prosperity under the BJP government. So that peace does not prevail in the Northeast region, they are deliberately distorting the speech of Hon’ble Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa ji in the name of religion and caste.”
Calling for collective support and cooperation, Manipur’s CM urged swift legal action against such vested interest groups. The coordinated response from both Assam and Manipur’s leadership underscores the seriousness of the situation and the commitment to maintaining communal harmony in the region. As the investigations unfold, it remains crucial for the public to remain vigilant against malicious attempts to manipulate public opinion.
