Fact Check: Allegations of Mamata Banerjee Cooking Kali Puja Bhog Without Gas Examined

An AI-generated video claiming to show West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cooking ritual food without a lit stove during Kali Puja has been debunked by fact-checkers, revealing the continued challenge of digital misinformation during significant cultural events.

The video, which began circulating widely on social media platforms this week, purported to show Chief Minister Banerjee preparing bhog—the sacred food offering during the religious ceremony—at her residence with an unlit stove. The short clip quickly gained traction, particularly among political observers and critics of the Trinamool Congress leader.

India Today’s Fact Check team conducted a thorough investigation of the approximately six-second video and identified multiple inconsistencies indicating artificial intelligence manipulation. Most notably, the cooking vessel appears filled with prepared bhog in the opening frame, but by the end of the brief clip, it’s shown half-empty—a physical impossibility within the timeframe without digital alteration.

The fact-checkers compared the viral footage with authentic documentation of the event from multiple credible sources. Legitimate video coverage published by established news outlets clearly showed Banerjee cooking the ritual food with a properly lit stove during the ceremony. Additionally, official photographs and videos shared by the All India Trinamool Congress on their verified social media accounts corroborated this reality.

Further technical analysis revealed that the manipulated video was likely created using an actual still photograph as its foundation. The investigation team identified a specific image from a Facebook album posted by the Trinamool Congress that appears to have been used as the source material for the AI-generated video. Advanced AI verification tools, including Hive Moderation, confirmed the footage was artificially created rather than authentic documentation.

The incident highlights the growing sophistication of AI-generated misinformation targeting public figures, particularly during culturally significant events. Kali Puja, one of West Bengal’s most important religious celebrations, routinely attracts media attention when observed by prominent political leaders.

Chief Minister Banerjee’s annual Shyama Puja at her residence is a well-documented tradition that has taken on political significance in the region. The targeting of this cultural practice with manipulated media appears designed to undermine her cultural authenticity and religious observance—key components of her public persona in the politically complex landscape of West Bengal.

This case represents a concerning trend in India’s digital information ecosystem, where religious practices and cultural observances of political figures increasingly become targets for manipulation. The rapid spread of such content demonstrates how easily AI-generated media can infiltrate public discourse, potentially influencing perceptions before fact-checking mechanisms can intervene.

Digital misinformation experts have warned that as AI technology becomes more accessible, these types of targeted manipulations will likely increase in frequency and sophistication. The incident underscores the growing importance of media literacy and the critical role of professional fact-checking organizations in verifying content related to public figures.

For social media users, the case serves as a reminder to approach viral content with skepticism, particularly brief clips showing public figures in potentially compromising situations. The subtle inconsistencies identified in this video—lighting discrepancies, unnatural movements, and impossible physical changes—represent typical indicators of AI manipulation that attentive viewers can learn to recognize.

As fact-checking organizations continue to develop more sophisticated detection tools, the challenge remains to ensure accurate information reaches audiences with the same speed and reach as the initial misleading content.