Karnataka BJP targets Priyank Kharge over 'AI-generated image', seeks apology

Bengaluru, Dec 26 (PTI) Karnataka BJP on Friday hit out at IT Minister Priyank Kharge, accusing him of spreading fake news by circulating a "malicious AI-generated image" to attack the prime minister and mislead the public about a court order.

They also accused Kharge of mocking the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' initiative and demanded an unconditional apology from him.

Kharge has since deleted the post with the image in question, which referred to the 2017 Unnao rape case.

He said that while the image in the post may have been AI-generated and was shared due to an inadvertent oversight, "your reputation precedes you, @BJP4Karnataka".

The Delhi High Court recently suspended the jail term of expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is serving life imprisonment in the Unnao rape case, saying he has already served seven years and five months in prison.

The Karnataka BJP claimed that the self-proclaimed "fact-checker" Priyank Kharge was caught spreading fake news.

"Despite holding the IT & BT portfolio, he circulated a malicious, AI-generated image to attack PM @narendramodi and mislead the public about a court order," it said.

"He shamefully mocked the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' initiative -- a crucial scheme for empowering India’s daughters -- using lies to twist its meaning for cheap politics," the BJP alleged.

Accusing Kharge of ignoring facts, the BJP further hit out at him, saying the relief was a court order, which the CBI is challenging, and not a government decision.

"His (Kharge) post violates his own government's Hate Speech Bill by using communal imagery to ridicule a judicial process. Instead of upholding the truth, Priyank Kharge resorts to lies and communal incitement. We demand an unconditional apology and immediate legal action against this misinformation," a post by the state BJP said.

Reacting to the post, Kharge slammed the party, accusing it of continuing to honour and shield perpetrators.

"The larger issue remains: the BJP continues to honour and shield perpetrators. Why has no action been taken against the POCSO accused in Karnataka? And why is this leader still projected as a mentor and a 'guiding light’ for your party? Would you like me to fact check it for you?” he added. PTI AMP PRK PRK