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Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sangeeta Phogat’s recent fake photo has not just gone viral on the internet but has also created ripples in their cause to protest. Bajrang Punia shared a post on his Twitter handle highlighting that the image of the two women wrestlers smiling is fake. He attached a file comparing the fake and the original image and said that legal action will be taken against people circulating the fake image. In the digital age, things are catalysed by the internet, the web and Artificial Intelligence (AI). With more and more AI-driven apps in the market, creating fake images, photoshop, and fabricating fake chats has become, almost, a piece of cake but with a bitter taste.
IT Cell वाले ये झूठी तस्वीर फैला रहे हैं। हम ये साफ़ कर देते हैं की जो भी ये फ़र्ज़ी तस्वीर पोस्ट करेगा उसके ख़िलाफ़ शिकायत दर्ज की जाएगी। #WrestlersProtest pic.twitter.com/a0MngT1kUa
— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) May 28, 2023
Recently, a photo of two wrestling champions surfaced where they can be seen sitting, allegedly inside a police van as a result of being detained, and smiling. According to the post shared by Punia, the original photo does not have the grapplers smiling, but simply sitting inside the bus teary-eyed. But the smile sends a message that they are not serious about the protest and its entailments and are putting up a facade.
The image straight away reduces the intent of the protest and the cause. It takes away the objective, blood, sweat, and hard work of the wrestlers and the allies sitting at Jantar Mantar for over a month now.
A twitter user also shared a video of how probably, the image was photoshopped using AI driven applications.
ऐसे होता है AI का दुरूपयोग☹️ pic.twitter.com/XgQPIht6VQ
— Gautam Kumawat (@Gautamventure) May 29, 2023
Its ripple effect not only relegates the protest as futile but takes away the entirety of it even for the future. Trust, and confidence can all be gone with an AI-generated smile.
Trigger Warning: DISTURBING, VIOLENT VISUALS. USERS’ DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Sakshi Malik shared visuals from May 28 when wrestlers were dragged, and detained by police while on their way to protest at Mahila Panchayat starting from Jantar Mantar.
This is how our champions are being treated. The world is watching us! #WrestlersProtest pic.twitter.com/rjrZvgAlSO
— Sakshee Malikkh (@SakshiMalik) May 28, 2023
Top wrestlers including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat have been sitting on a dharna at Jantar Mantar since April 23, demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly “sexually harassing” seven women grapplers, including a minor. The Delhi Police has filed two FIRs against Singh. While the first FIR relates to allegations by the minor wrestler and has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the second one is related to outraging modesty.
Singh has rejected the allegations against him and expressed his willingness to undergo narco analysis and polygraph test provided the protesting wrestlers also undertake them.
It’s been over a month now that the top wrestlers of the country are sitting at iconic Jantar Mantar in protest against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan, who they have accused of sexual harassment of seven women grapplers, including a minor. The wrestlers also took out a candlelight march on May 23 on completion of one month of their agitation.
While the protester are relentlessly endeavouring to fight for justice, an AI click is all to take it away.
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