‘Petty troll’: Gujarat AAP vs BJP over AI photo of Delhi CM Rekha Gupta's attacker

By Admin

21 Aug, 2025

The political rivalry between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has once again flared up, this time over an alleged AI-generated photo linking AAP leader Gopal Italia to Rajesh Sakariya, the man accused of attacking Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The controversy erupted when BJP MLA Harish Khurana shared the edited image on social media, prompting a sharp response from Italia.

Gopal Italia’s Strong Reaction

In a strongly worded video message on Wednesday, Italia hit back at Khurana, calling him “no better than a petty troll.” He accused Khurana of spreading fake news by editing an old video of him and attaching the photo of Sakariya.

“By editing an old video of mine and adding another man’s photo, what are you trying to show? Would your father, who earned respect through hard work, be happy to see his son spreading fake news?” Italia asked, invoking the legacy of Khurana’s late father, former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana.

Italia further alleged that the BJP’s actions were driven by frustration over his recent victory in the Visavadar by-election in Gujarat. “Ever since I won as an MLA from Visavadar, the BJP has been upset and angry. They cannot digest that a young man from a non-political background, from a new party like AAP, won against them. Out of frustration, they are trying to malign me, my party, and our leader, Arvind Kejriwal,” he said.

Accusations of Defamation and Misinformation

Italia slammed the BJP for resorting to what he termed as “crooked methods” to defame AAP leaders. He called Khurana’s post “shameful, disgraceful, and wrong,” urging both the media and BJP leaders to verify facts before circulating unverified claims.

“Do not run news based on this petty troll’s tweet. I will be forced to take legal action if this continues,” Italia warned.

The Allegations Against Rajesh Sakariya

Meanwhile, Delhi Police have booked Rajesh Sakariya under Section 109(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for attempt to murder following the attack on CM Rekha Gupta. Police sources described Sakariya as a “serial offender” with multiple past cases in Gujarat, although many ended in acquittal.

AAP vs BJP: The Larger Political Battle

This controversy reflects the growing tensions between AAP and BJP, not just in Delhi but also in Gujarat, where AAP has been trying to establish its presence. Italia’s victory in Visavadar has been a sore point for BJP, and the latest clash adds fuel to the ongoing political fire.

As the debate over AI-manipulated media intensifies, this episode also underscores the urgent need for accountability in digital communication, particularly when false content can be weaponized in politics.