A senior IAS officer in Telangana Smita Sabharwal has landed herself in trouble for reposting an AI-generated Ghibli image on a social media platform, highlighting a land controversy that has shaken the Congress government in the state.
The image pertains to the felling of trees on a 400 acre forest land abutting the University of Hyderabad (UoH) campus in Kancha Gachibowli. Students and opposition parties have been protesting against the government’s plan to auction this land for the purpose of developing an IT hub.
Smita Sabharwal, who held a key position in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) regime, waded into the raging controversy by reposting an AI-generated image, depicting bulldozers positioned in front of the Mushroom Rock inside University of Hyderabad campus, with a peacock and deer looking on.
Following prolonged protests at the university campus over the proposed take-over of the forest land, numerous images and videos went viral on social media platforms. Some of these visuals — created using artificial intelligence — were widely shared to generate sympathy for wildlife reportedly inhabiting the area.
The state government has raised serious concerns over the spread of such AI-generated content.
Also read: Gachibowli row: SC slams T'gana govt for felling of trees
The city police sent her a notice under Section 179 of the BNSS (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita). She then submitted a detailed statement to the Gachibowli police in response to the notice.
After providing her statement, Smita, who is now the principal secretary of tourism, culture and youth advancement, took to the microblogging site, X, and observed that notices sent to her raised concerns of "selective targeting".
“I have fully cooperated with Gachibowli police authorities, and given my detailed statement today as a law-abiding citizen under BNSS Act. The post was reshared by 2,000 individuals on this platform. I sought clarification on whether the same action is initiated or all! If not, this raises concern about selective targeting, which in turn compromises the principles of natural justice and equality before the law," said the officer in her post.
Meanwhile, 67 former IAS , IFS, and IPS officers wrote an open letter to the Telangana government asking them to conserve the land.
In the open letter, the officers wrote: “The Congress party in its manifesto for the 2024 elections reaffirmed its profound commitment to rapid, inclusive and sustainable development, and to protect its ecosystems. local communities, flora and fauna. It also said that it would address the issues of environment and climate change with the seriousness they deserve.”
“It was therefore with dismay that we learnt of the recent disturbing incidents at the Hyderabad Central University, regarding the clearing of over 100 acres of forested land in Kancha Gachibowli, using bulldozers, with the objective of using this land for IT buildings and activities.”
Further addressing the student protests, they wrote, “Moreover, when students of Hyderabad University protested against the clearance of the forested land, the felling of the trees, and the use of bulldozers, the state government, instead of holding a dialogue with them to resolve the matter, sought to quell the protest by force, even resorting to arrests and lathi charges.”
Follow us
