DoNER draws criticism for AI video that misrepresents Naga people

Dimapur — The Department of Northeastern Development (DoNER) on Sunday posted an AI-generated promotional video on its official social media handles, saying many people in Nagaland are misrepresenting their Naga identity, which came under severe criticism.

The video, which remained online for nearly 23 hours before being deleted around 11:48 a.m. Monday, showed an anime character with bun hair, dressed in a costume resembling Chinese clothing, preparing food with chopsticks. The accompanying caption read, “One of the hottest chili peppers in the world, Naga Mircea delivers a sharp spiciness and fearless flavor. The GI-tagged fire earns its name as the Mirchi Volcano.”

read: Naga King Chili faces overheating market due to interstate competition

Social media users in Nagaland reacted strongly, saying the visuals did not resemble any Naga community. The post received comments such as “This is horror,” “This is embarrassing,” and “I can’t believe Donner has been so successful in misrepresenting Nagaland. The music, visuals, and costumes are nowhere near Naga.”

Several individuals shared their reactions through separate posts, criticizing the ministry for what they see as a fundamental failure in cultural expression. One person wrote, “As a ministry set up for the Northeast, we cannot tolerate this kind of misrepresentation. There is nothing ‘Naga’ about what is portrayed in the video. If @donerindia wants to promote Nagaland, it must start with an accurate representation of its people and get the basics right.”

Another user called this a “second blunder” by the department, adding that such a blunder could have been avoided. Others expressed frustration at the lack of cultural understanding, with one person saying, “The internet has been around for a while. There is no excuse for not being familiar with Nagaland.”

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

One of the hottest chili peppers in the world, Naga Mircea was recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2006 and received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2008.

One user frankly summed up the public mood by saying, “This makes me angry. What nonsense is this?”