DoNER draws criticism for AI video misrepresenting Naga people

DIMAPUR — The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) faced sharp criticism on Sunday after posting an AI-generated promotional video on its official social media handles that many in Nagaland described as a misrepresentation of Naga identity.

The video, which remained online for nearly 23 hours before being deleted around 11:48 am on Monday, featured animated characters with bun hairstyles dressed in attire resembling Chinese clothing, preparing food with chopsticks. The accompanying caption read: “Naga Mircha, among the world’s hottest chillies, delivers sharp heat and fearless flavour. A GI-tagged fire earning its name as the Mirchi Volcano.”

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Social media users from Nagaland responded with strong objections, saying the visuals bore no resemblance to any Naga community. Comments on the post included: “This is horror”, “This is an embarrassment”, and “Unbelievable that DoNER has succeeded so well in misrepresenting Nagaland. The music, the images, the costumes are nowhere near Naga at all.”

Several individuals shared their reactions through separate posts, criticising the ministry for what they saw as a basic failure in cultural representation. One wrote: “For a ministry created for the Northeast, this kind of misrepresentation is unacceptable. There is nothing ‘Naga’ about what the video depicts. If @donerindia wants to promote Nagaland, it must begin by getting the fundamentals right, starting with representing its people accurately.”

Another user called it the “second blunder” by the ministry, adding that such missteps were avoidable. Others expressed frustration at the lack of cultural understanding, with one remarking: “The internet has been around for a while—there is no excuse for being unfamiliar with Nagaland.”

The backlash also included criticism of the ministry’s use of AI without adequate cultural consultation, with one user commenting, “There’s probably one person who knows how to use AI in the DoNER office and the rest of the staff are very impressed by it.”

Naga mircha, one of the world’s hottest chillies, was certified by Guinness World Records in 2006 and received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2008.

One user summed up the public mood bluntly: “I take offence to this. What nonsense behaviour?”