“I am proud to be a tea seller”: PM Modi hits back at Congress over AI video controversy in Assam

Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday strongly countered the Congress over the recent controversy surrounding an AI-generated video portraying him as a tea seller, asserting that he is proud of his background and has never been ashamed of it.

Addressing a gathering of the tea-growing community during his visit to Assam, the Prime Minister said, “Yes, I am a tea seller. If I had not sold tea, who else would have done it?” PM Modi was in Assam to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for several development projects.

Assam, one of the world’s largest tea-producing regions, provided a symbolic setting for the Prime Minister to respond to the political attack. His remarks were widely seen as a direct rebuttal to the Congress, which recently faced criticism for circulating an AI-generated video allegedly mocking the Prime Minister.

Earlier this month, Congress leader Ragini Nayak had shared an AI-created video depicting PM Modi selling tea on an international stage, accompanied by slogans typically heard at railway stations.

The video sparked a major political controversy, with the BJP accusing the Congress of insulting the office of the Prime Minister and demanding an apology. While several BJP leaders reacted strongly at the time, PM Modi had remained silent—until now.

Speaking before tea workers, the Prime Minister said the Congress had ruled Assam for decades but had failed to address the long-standing problems faced by the tea garden community. “For years, the voices of tea workers were ignored.

Their issues, aspirations and dignity were not given importance,” he said. In contrast, he claimed that the BJP government had taken concrete steps to uplift the community, including granting land rights and improving living conditions.

PM Modi also accused the Congress of consistently standing on the wrong side of national interests. He alleged that the party had supported illegal infiltrators and was now opposing the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. According to him, such opposition indirectly helps fake voters and undermines democratic processes.

“The Congress is opposing reforms meant to protect democracy. By resisting voter list verification, they are indirectly supporting illegal entries into the electoral system,” the Prime Minister alleged.

The Prime Minister’s remarks drew loud applause from the audience, many of whom are directly connected to the tea industry. Political observers note that Modi’s response not only addressed the AI video controversy but also reinforced his long-standing narrative of rising from humble beginnings.

By choosing Assam and the tea community as the platform for his response, PM Modi delivered a pointed political message—turning an attempted jibe into a reaffirmation of identity, pride, and political symbolism ahead of upcoming electoral battles.

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