warns of strict action over fake videos on CM Chandrababu promise

Amid rising misinformation online, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh has issued a strong warning against the circulation of fake videos targeting a promise made by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. He made it clear that legal action will be taken against those responsible for editing and spreading misleading content.

The controversy revolves around a welfare initiative announced during a public event in Naidupeta, Tirupati district. On March 30, while attending a TIDCO housing housewarming ceremony, the Chief Minister visited the home of a beneficiary named Mukkara Ambika and participated in a religious ritual. Upon learning that her husband worked as an auto driver, he directed officials on the spot to arrange a battery auto to support the family’s livelihood.

However, Lokesh explained that certain individuals deliberately twisted the sequence of events. As the Chief Minister was leaving, another woman from a nearby house requested a job for her educated son. These two separate interactions were later merged into a single narrative through edited videos, falsely suggesting that a job seeking youth was being offered an auto instead.

Calling out the misinformation campaign, Lokesh criticized opposition elements for repeatedly engaging in such tactics despite earlier clarifications issued by the state’s fact check unit. He stressed that manipulating videos to mislead the public is a punishable offense under the law.

Reiterating the government’s stance, the minister urged people to verify facts before sharing content online. He emphasized that spreading false narratives damages public trust and warned that strict legal consequences await those involved in creating or promoting such fake videos.