Instagram Removes BJP Video Over Hate Speech Content

The video posted by the Bharatiya Janata Party from its official handle @bjp4india on Instagram on April 30, which reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on Muslims, was taken down from the platform after being reported by many users for hate speech.

The video, which repeated the BJP's rhetoric on the Congress party "empowering people who belong to the very same community (of) invaders, terrorists, robbers, and thieves [who] used to loot all our treasures," was removed after garnering over one lakh likes, as reported by The Hindu.

Instagram Removes BJP Video - Here's Why

The voice-over says, "If Congress comes to power, it will snatch all the money and wealth from non-Muslims and distribute them among Muslims, their favourite community." The video garnered over one lakh likes before being taken down.

Users who reported the clip received a notification from Instagram stating that the video had already been removed. It remains unclear whether the animated clip was removed by the BJP itself or by Instagram's moderation team. A comment from a spokesperson for Meta, the parent company of Instagram, was not immediately available, as reported by The Hindu.

In addition to featuring rhetoric originally issued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, the video depicted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi holding what appeared to be the party's election manifesto adorned with crescent-and-star iconography.