Dussehra poster in Lucknow shows Ravana with Musk, Rahul heads
What's the story
A Dussehra poster in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, has stirred up a major controversy. The poster features Tesla CEO Elon Musk, American Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, among others as faces of Ravana. The artwork was put up by an organization called Sanatan Raksha Sangathan and depicts these public figures as alleged opponents of India's interests.
Poster details
Poster features multiple Indian and foreign personalities
The poster titled "Bharat Virodhi Dashanan Ravan" also includes Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad.
It also features another gangster-politician, Mukhtar Ansari, Bangladesh's Muhammad Yunus, investor George Soros, and lawyer Prashant Bhushan.
The choice of Musk is particularly interesting given his recent criticism of the Indian government over Starlink's commercial approval in India.
Criticism explained
Musk accused oligarchs of blocking Starlink's launch
Musk had accused unnamed "oligarchs" of blocking Starlink's launch to maintain a monopolistic chokehold on the market.
He even mockingly called Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani the "real boss of India" and sarcastically referred to him as "Prime Minister Ambani."
Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being unsettled by Akhilesh Yadav's growing popularity ahead of upcoming elections.
Election impact
Samajwadi Party worker removes poster
Prasad said, "The 2027 elections are approaching, and the BJP is worried about the growing popularity and credibility of Akhilesh Yadav."
He claimed that the BJP was spreading false information through posters and misleading claims.
A video also showed a Samajwadi Party worker removing one of these posters from a public place in Lucknow.