A controversial AI-generated video depicting Assam’s Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, allegedly targeting Muslims in the northeastern Indian state has sparked widespread outrage. Originally shared by the BJP’s Assam unit, the video has since been deleted following significant backlashes from both the public and opposition parties.

The 17-second clip, titled “Point Blank Shot,” made rounds on social media after being shared on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, but was later removed. The video seemingly combined real footage of the chief minister handling a rifle with AI-enhanced segments showing him firing at images of Muslim men. The images came under titles like “No Mercy” and depicted scenes with Sarma dressed as a cowboy, suggesting themes of intimidation towards Muslims.

Assam, with a Muslim population exceeding 12 million, is set to have state elections by March or April. With one-third of its population being Muslim, the video has been perceived as incendiary, especially considering Sarma’s earlier remarks and initiatives to marginalize Bengali-origin Muslims. He has been vocal about linking them to issues of crime and demographic changes, urging locals to create difficulties for them with actions as trivial as paying rickshaw fares.

The BJP’s Assam wing has not issued any formal response to the video’s release and subsequent deletion. Local BJP leader Ranjib Kumar Sarma told Indian Express that the video has been erased and offered no further comments.

The situation echoes previous incidents, such as another AI video titled “Assam without BJP,” which depicted a future Assam overtaken by Muslims—hinting at the persistent narratives targeting the state’s Muslim community. Assam is one of the regions with a significant Muslim population, superseded only by areas like the federally governed Kashmir and the Lakshadweep islands.

Reports have highlighted that Indian authorities have recently expelled numerous ethnic Bengali Muslims to Bangladesh without due legal process, labeling them as illicit immigrants.

Congress party leader Aman Wadud criticized the video as deeply troubling and indicative of the BJP’s consistent disregard for law and decency, suggesting that their political influence in Assam may be waning. In a statement, Congress declared the video an incitement to violence, and Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra called upon India’s legal system to address the issue.

This incident contributes to the broader narrative of growing anti-Muslim sentiment in Assam and across India under the BJP’s influence, which has seen Muslims increasingly targeted as outsiders. Legislative changes, such as the 2019 citizenship law amendment, further excluded Muslims, intensifying their marginalization in what is constitutionally a secular nation.