OPINION | Northeast Narrative | ‘Point Blank Shot’

By : Rifa Deka | Updated at : 09 Feb 2026 10:06 PM (IST)

To inject gun imagery and phrases like “No mercy” into this already sensitive environment is not merely irresponsible; it is incendiary.
Source : ABP LIVE

The now-deleted “Point Blank Shot” video posted from the Assam BJP’s official social media handle was provocative, yes-but it was also factually sloppy (look up point blank), poorly executed, and shockingly thoughtless about its consequences. Whatever the intent behind it, the outcome was entirely predictable: outrage and a growing sense that political messaging in Assam has crossed a dangerous line. 

At a basic level, the video was misleading but this was not the first time this kind of messaging has raised eyebrows in Assam. In September last year, the same Assam BJP social media handle had posted an AI-generated video imagining an “Assam without BJP”. The video depicted Muslim men in skull caps, women in burqas and hijabs, visuals referencing beef consumption and a supposed demographic takeover, set across public spaces and cultural landmarks in the state. The content was widely criticised as communal and misleading, and eventually drew the attention of the Supreme Court, which issued a notice on a plea seeking its removal.

That episode should have served as a clear warning. Instead, its repetition suggests a pattern, one in which provocative, communal imagery is increasingly treated as a legitimate political tool rather than recognised as a dangerous escalation.

 The recently posted video visually suggested violence against people portrayed with markers of Muslim identity, alongside an image of Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, without establishing facts or offering substantiation. Political accusations, especially those as serious as insinuations of disloyalty or “foreign links”, cannot be reduced to crude visuals and loaded symbolism.

Even from a purely strategic standpoint, the video was badly conceived political communication. Was it meant to target alleged illegal immigration? Was it aimed at a political rival? Was it a broader ideological statement? The video attempted to do all of this at once and ended up doing none of it coherently.

More importantly, the video showed a complete disregard for consequences. Assam is a state with a long and painful history of debates around identity, migration, and belonging. To inject gun imagery and phrases like “No mercy” into this already sensitive environment is not merely irresponsible; it is incendiary. Once such content is released by an official party handle, it escapes the control of its creators. It circulates, mutates and legitimises the idea that violence is an acceptable form of political expression.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma may attempt to distance himself by pointing out that the video did not originate from his personal account, or by having the handle quietly take down the post. However, the fact remains that this content came from an official party platform, not a fringe troll account.

Where this episode may hurt the BJP the most, however, is not in courtrooms or press conferences, but among young voters. India’s youth, including in Assam, are increasingly politically aware, digitally literate and sceptical of crude propaganda. Many young people, some of whom may otherwise agree with the BJP on governance, nationalism, or development, are uncomfortable with overt communal targeting and violent symbolism. For them, this episode signals insecurity and reflects a party so confident of its narrative that it no longer exercises restraint.

Even those who are unconvinced by Gaurav Gogoi’s rebuttals, or who believe that allegations against him deserve investigation, can still reject the idea that such matters should be prosecuted through gun imagery and dehumanising visuals. By collapsing the whole matter into an aggressive video, the BJP risks losing the moral high ground it often claims.

There is also a longer-term danger. When ruling parties normalise extreme imagery, they lower the threshold for what is considered acceptable political communication. Today it is an opposition leader and a minority community; tomorrow it could be anyone deemed inconvenient. Democracies do not erode overnight, they fray gradually, through repeated acts that are excused as “just politics”.

The Assam BJP’s video was a failure of judgement. It neither strengthened the party’s case nor weakened its opponents in any meaningful way. Instead, it handed critics exactly what they needed: evidence that provocation has begun to replace persuasion in the state.

If the BJP is serious about retaining credibility, especially with younger Indians, it must recognise this episode as a self-inflicted wound because political power brings with it the responsibility to communicate carefully, factually and humanely.

Published at : 09 Feb 2026 10:06 PM (IST)
Tags :
BJP Himanta Biswa Sarma Assam Politics

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