Union Minister Kiren Rijiju slammed Congress on October 26, 2026, for sharing fake AI videos about the Indian Army. The Army debunked claims of Chinese encroachment, noting the footage showed civilian trade at Nathu La. Rijiju said, "Congress Party must apologize to the nation for spreading fake AI video."
Union Cabinet Minister Kiren Rijiju launched a scathing attack on the Congress after the Indian Army debunked two viral videos circulating on social media. A post shared by Ritu Choudhary, a Congress spokesperson from Bihar, claimed that Chinese vehicles had entered Indian territory. Another post alleged that China had taken control of parts of Arunachal Pradesh and that the Indian Army was being denied essential supplies. Rijiju demanded an unreserved apology from the Opposition, accusing it of deploying manipulated media to undermine national security and malign the armed forces. Army fact-checks The political row erupted over posts shared online, including content from Ritu Choudhary.
Congress Party must apologize to the nation for spreading fake AI video to tarnish the image of Indian Army. यह एक विश्वासघाती कृत्य है और हमारे दुश्मनों के घिनौने कामों के बराबर है। कांग्रेस पार्टी भारत के दुश्मनों का घटिया अभियान चला रही है। https://t.co/AXNSoPDCbH -- Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) October 26, 2026 The first video purported to show Chinese vehicles entering Indian territory. The Indian Army's official fact-checking handle clarified that the footage merely depicted civilian commercial transport at the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim -- a long-established, authorized border trade route between India and China -- which was mislabeled as military encroachment.
The second video featured altered audio paired with footage of Lieutenant General Girish Kalia (General Officer Commanding, Spear Corps), falsely attributing statements to him that Chinese forces had occupied areas in Arunachal Pradesh and cut off supply lines to frontline Indian troops. The military confirmed the video was a deepfake created by manipulating footage from an October 27, 2023 press briefing in Kupwara, Jammu & Kashmir, which had focused solely on counter-infiltration operations along the Line of Control. Govt slams 'treacherous' campaign Calling out the Opposition leadership, Rijiju stated that disseminating fake AI-generated media to tarnish the military's reputation amounts to a treacherous act that echoes hostile propaganda. 🚨 Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour Exposed ❌ Social media accounts are circulating a video showing Chinese vehicles near the India-China border, falsely portraying it as an unauthorised entry of Chinese vehicles into Indian territory.
The misleading caption further alleges that mainstream Indian media is deliberately concealing the incident. ✅ The original footage is of the JAC-branded Chinese commercial vehicles at Nathu La Pass in Sikkim, a designated India-China border trade point. ✅ The movement of commercial vehicles at an authorised border trade route is being misrepresented as evidence of a Chinese military intrusion. Trade at Nathu La operates under established bilateral agreements, designated trading facilities and regulated procedures. 📍 @GoI_MeitY: The following 12 handles have been identified as circulating the same content between 0826 hrs and 1256 hrs on 26 October 2026: @VarisRajput01, @RituChoudhryINC, @AsdhirDubey, @imharshchhikara, @SunilYadav990, @ANKITVERMA90648, @Ravipandey4AAP, @rastrijans19021, @Pradeep_JAAT_00, @fahad_4884_, @vikrampanchal68 and @MohitArjun1. ♻️ Disinformation Pattern: Chinese commercial vehicles + Omission of authorised border trade context + False narrative of unauthorised Chinese entry + Coordinated posting = Misleading India-China border security narrative. ⚠️ Always check the location, original footage and official context before sharing. #IndianArmy #NathuLa #Sikkim #IndiaChinaBorder #FactCheckIndia @adgpi @easterncomd @trishakticorps @PIBFactCheck @GoI_MeitY @SpokespersonMoD -- INDIAN ARMY FACT CHECK (@MythbusterXX)
October 26, 2026 Echoing his views, BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan accused the Congress of a persistent anti-armed forces bias, citing a pattern of spreading misinformation to demean the dignity of Indian soldiers. Opposition defends stance Despite the military's official clarifications, National Students' Union of India (NSUI) chief Vinod Jakhar defended the political narrative, asserting that concerns regarding border security remain valid regardless of the media's authenticity. "Even if the video is doctored, there is nothing wrong in what is being said in it. It is absolutely correct. BJP is deploying forces to stop the youth protest here in Delhi.
Why aren't they deploying the forces in Arunachal, where China is encroaching on our land," Jakhar told NDTV