Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday accused the Congress of using an AI-generated photograph to create an impression of a massive turnout at the INDIA bloc’s rally at Delhi’s Ramlila
Maidan, taking a swipe at the party over what he described as an attempt to push a “fake narrative”.
Reacting to the November 1 rally, Rijiju alleged that the Congress had circulated an artificially generated image to show the venue packed with supporters.
In a post on X, he said the party should have at least ensured that the AI-generated photograph was prepared properly if it wanted to depict a large crowd at the venue.
“To show a large crowd in Ramlila Maidan, the Congress Party should have at least prepared the AI-generated photo properly. Even the fake AI photo to show that Ramlila ground was full is not done properly by the fake narrative team of the Congress Party!” Rijiju wrote.
रामलीला मैदान में भारी भीड़ दिखाने के लिए, कांग्रेस पार्टी को कम से कम AI से बनी तस्वीर तो ठीक से तैयार करनी चाहिए थी।
Even the fake AI photo to show that Ramlila ground was full is not done properly by the fake narrative team of Congress Party! https://t.co/uBAf9NIPau
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) November 1, 2026
His remarks came after an image showing a massive crowd at the Ramlila Maidan was shared by Congress MP Vamsi Gaddam and other party leaders.
His post also came amid a political confrontation between the BJP and the Congress over the turnout at the INDIA bloc’s rally, which was organised to protest against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
BJP Questions Congress’s Turnout Claims
The BJP had earlier questioned the INDIA bloc’s claims about the expected attendance at the rally. BJP MP Sambit Patra alleged that despite claims that 10 lakh people would participate, a significant portion of Ramlila Maidan remained vacant.
According to news agency ANI, Patra claimed that around 5,000 to 7,000 chairs out of the 28,000 arranged at the venue were empty between 3.30 pm and 4 pm. He also alleged that nearly 40 per cent of the ground was vacant.
“You can see in the background that 40 per cent of the Ramlila Maidan, 40 per cent of the space, was vacant. Rahul Gandhi and his team claimed that 10 lakh people would attend. Out of 28,000 chairs, around 5,000 to 7,000 were empty at 3.30 to 4 pm. This is the reality behind Congress’s claim of 10 lakh attendees,” Patra said.
INDIA Bloc Leaders Attend Ramlila Maidan Rally
The INDIA bloc held a mega rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1 against alleged electoral irregularities and the SIR exercise.
Several prominent Opposition leaders attended the event, including Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
According to ANI, the march began at the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction and proceeded towards Ramlila Maidan, where thousands of supporters gathered.
Addressing the rally, Rahul Gandhi accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of facilitating alleged vote theft and claimed that action would be taken against him. Gandhi said the CEC would be removed from his post and jailed.
He maintained that the protest represented the voice of the country and was not associated with any particular political party or leader.
Accusing the CEC of attempting to silence the people’s voice, Gandhi said the Opposition would continue its fight to protect the Constitution through peaceful and democratic means.
He further alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah would not have reached their respective positions without the CEC’s alleged support.
Youth Congress Claims Participation Of Over 20,000 Workers
Meanwhile, the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) claimed that more than 20,000 of its workers from across the country participated in the INDIA bloc rally.
In a statement reported by news agency PTI, the organisation described the agitation as ‘Freedom Struggle 2.0’, saying young workers had travelled thousands of kilometres to Delhi in response to its ‘Chalo Delhi’ call.
IYC national president Uday Bhanu Chib said the participation reflected the concerns of young people over the credibility of the country’s electoral mechanisms.
Reiterating the demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, Chib said the organisation would continue its campaign until accountability was ensured.
