Ahead of next year’s assembly elections in Assam, the BJP has once again launched a controversial election campaign. Using AI, the BJP has created videos that portray the Muslim community as dominant and portray illegal immigration into the state. The videos depict elderly Muslims slaughtering meat in open spaces, men wearing skullcaps and women wearing hijabs, and occupying cricket stadiums and government land. The BJP’s campaign focuses on the claim that if the BJP loses power, Assam will become a Muslim-majority state and the sale of beef will be legalized.
Accusations Against Congress Leaders and Communal Division
In its campaign, the BJP has linked Congress leaders like Gaurav Gogoi and Rahul Gandhi to Pakistan and labeled them as “Pakistan Link Party.” The BJP’s Assam unit has consistently posted on social media that have made illegal immigration and Hindu-Muslim division an election issue. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had previously predicted a potential increase in the Muslim population, which he used to justify his strict action against illegal encroachments.
Uss din dukhi tha pura Pakistan,
Sath mein dukhi tha Paaijaan.. pic.twitter.com/YAVHmWUU1h— BJP Assam Pradesh (@BJP4Assam) September 16, 2025
Opposition and Criticism
The BJP’s campaign has drawn sharp reactions from Congress and other leaders. Assam Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said that the images and videos created by the BJP’s IT cell do not reflect the reality of Assamese society. Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi described the BJP’s posts as an attempt to create a “Muslim-free India” and described it as a hateful Hindutva ideology. The Assam unit of the Congress has also decided to file a police complaint in this matter.
Historical Context and Political Strategy
Analysts say that the BJP’s campaign in Assam is a modern version of the politics associated with old organizations and the Assam Movement. According to Delhi-based journalist Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, the distinction between “illegal immigrants” and “refugees” was made even during the Assam Movement led by Balasaheb Deora in 1978-79. The BJP’s strategic objective is to gain electoral advantage by stoking the Hindu-Muslim divide in Assam. Mukhopadhyay said that real issues like unemployment, the food crisis, and growing discontent among the youth are more important to the public, but the BJP is ignoring these and prioritizing communal and immigration-related issues.
