Odisha BJP Asks If AI-Generated Videos Showing Naveen Patnaik Being Circulated By BJD

Bhubaneswar: Stepping up its attack on Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for allegedly being evasive on major issues, BJP on Wednesday sought to know whether the BJD supremo’s image is being shown in AI-generated deepfake videos to circulate views on several topics.

Launching a scathing attack on Naveen, senior BJP leader and former state party president Samir Mohanty told reporters that the Chief Minister simply reads out prepared scripts in public meetings and completes his speech within a minute.

However, in short videos being circulated Naveen is heard speaking in a different way on various issues, he said, adding that it is not clear whether the CM is really appearing in the videos or these are deepfake ones generated through artificial intelligence (AI), the BJP leader said.

Therefore, Naveen should appear on open platforms to speak on different issues instead of releasing short videos, he said.

“One wonders whether Naveen Babu is really speaking on short videos. If these videos are genuine then the CM should be able to speak in same style while addressing public meetings instead of relying on prepared texts,” Mohanty said.

Claiming that the CM is unable to speak normally in open platforms due to illness or some other problem, he said, “the person who is controlling the remote must be aware of everything and the people of the state have come to know about it.”

Hitting out at the Chief Minister, he said Naveen is silent on the missing keys of Ratna Bhandar of Puri Jagannath Temple, while the inquiry commission report was not made public.

The CM is also not responding to the sufferings of farmers who are denied remunerative prices for their produce, the BJP leader said, asking Naveen to answer questions in public meetings instead of releasing short videos.

Mohanty’s salvo came a day after BJP national vice president Baijayant Panda alleged that deepfake videos featuring the CM are being used to make fake allegations.

Following BJP’s allegation, a new video of Naveen and BJD leader V K Pandian appeared in the media. Pandian was heard asking Naveen about BJP’s allegation of AI being used by him. “This is a good thing. Let BJP itself use intelligence,” the CM was heard responding.