New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued notices to social media platform X, the Assam government and the Centre over a controversial video that allegedly promotes hate speech ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
Advocate Nizam Pasha filed the petition raising concerns about a video that is being circulated online. According to the petitioner, the video portrays that if a particular political party does not come to power, a specific community will take over governance. Pasha told the court that the video shows men with beards, implying communal targeting.
The application stated that the video, posted by BJP’s Assam unit on X on September 15, allegedly shows a “grossly false narrative” suggesting that Assam would be taken over by Muslims if the BJP does not remain in power in the state.
“The video… shows visibly Muslim people (wearing skullcaps and burqas) taking over tea estates, Guwahati airport, Guwahati Accoland, Assam Ranghar, Guwahati Stadium, Rang Ghar, Guwahati town. The video further shows illegal migrants who are visibly Muslim coming into Assam; Muslims acquiring government land; and finally, that the state has 90% Muslim population,” the plea stated, as reported by Live Law.
The petitioner, who intends to make BJP a respondent in the case, seeks registration of an FIR or contempt proceedings against those responsible for circulating the video.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta sought the response of Central government, Assam government and X on the matter.
Assembly election in Assam is due in March-April, 2026. The BJP first came to power in the northeastern state in 2016, when Sarbananda Sonowal became the chief minister. After the saffron party won in 2021 too, Himanta Biswa Sarma was appointed CM.
