Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Punjab Local Bodies Minister Dr. Ravjot held a press conference on Wednesday, strongly condemning the circulation of viral pictures. Dr Ravjot Viral Pics were shared by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Tuesday night. Dr. Ravjot labelled the act as "shameful and deliberate character assassination" ahead of the Ludhiana West by-election. Dr. Ravjot also clarified that the pictures that are going viral are edited and morphed. Below is what Dr. Ravjot said in the press conference-
"I am a doctor by profession. I completed my MBBS from Patiala and have been running my hospital in Hoshiarpur for the last 20-22 years. I joined the Aam Aadmi Party back in 2013 and have been actively working for the party’s growth ever since. I contested the Vidhan Sabha elections in 2017 and again in 2022. My full name is Dr. Ravjot Singh Babban, and I come from the Babban family. Whether it has been in my profession or my political journey, I’ve always worked with honesty and dedication," said Dr. Ravjot.
'Malicious attempt to defame me both personally and politically', says Dr. Ravjot
Dr. Ravjot further said, "As you all know, campaigning for the Ludhiana West by-election has officially ended. Right after the campaign period concluded, certain photographs, videos, and messages began circulating on social media. When I saw them, it deeply hurt me and shocked my conscience. When some of my personal acquaintances came across these visuals, they were equally disturbed."
"I want to point out that an irrelevant party and an irrelevant leader have tried to bring up an irrelevant issue, timed deliberately during this election. This malicious attempt to defame me both personally and politically is evident to everyone. The individual responsible for this is the same person who has, even during his own government’s tenure, incited communal discord, particularly targeting Sikh and Dalit communities. Now, when he finds himself powerless under the AAP government—be it ministers or MLAs—he has targeted me intentionally. It’s a calculated move to push back Sikh leaders and discredit those from the community who are progressing under AAP."
'This is the lowest level of politics': Dr. Ravjot
Dr. Ravjot then said, "The reason behind this is simple: Aam Aadmi Party has given a platform to Sikh and Dalit communities across Punjab. This progress and unity are not being tolerated by some people. And let me be clear—while attacking my political career is one thing, editing a woman’s photo and circulating it with my image is an act of utter shame. This is politics at its lowest level, and I never imagined it would stoop this far.
"The woman in that photo is someone’s daughter, sister, or mother. Those sharing these images likely don’t even know who she is. Circulating such content on social media without considering its consequences is highly irresponsible. There is something called human dignity—especially when it involves a woman. What kind of mindset does a person have to stoop so low? The person who posted this calls himself a great leader, a visionary, even a ‘Jarnail’. Is this the kind of leadership we expect? Posting and editing private pictures of women just to settle political scores? I want to ask—would you do the same with your own sisters or mothers?"
'My wife told me to ignore the controversy', reveals Dr. Ravjot
Dr. Ravjot then said, "The medical fraternity is also deeply hurt by this. I didn’t even want to hold this press conference. My wife told me to ignore it. We have two young children—one is five years old and the other is three. Imagine how this impacts them. Think about how it affects our family. If you have a problem, talk about governance, development, and policies—not about someone’s personal life. Everyone has a private life, and dragging families into dirty politics is completely unacceptable. I say this today—enough is enough. This needs to stop. What has happened to our society? Just to make headlines, you go to this extent?
"And the woman in the image—what must she be going through? I’ve left the matter to the public now and trust God will grant justice," Dr. Ravjot concluded.
'Viral images 8-10 years old', says Dr. Ravjot
Dr. Ravjot confirmed that a complaint has been submitted and the investigation is underway. He added that the images being circulated are nearly 8–10 years old, originally of his ex-wife, and have been digitally altered and misused. He named Bikram Majithia as the main accused in this smear campaign. When asked about a man named Ashok Nangliya, who first shared the images on Twitter at 8 p.m., Dr. Ravjot stated that Nangliya was involved in the 2016–17 elections in Hoshiarpur and has connections to Majithia’s circle.
How did the controversy start?
For the unversed, the controversy erupted after SAD leader Bikram Majithia shared four photos on social media Tuesday night, three of which were allegedly explicit. Dr. Ravjot's image appeared in one, while the others showed a man in compromising poses. Majithia labelled it as a "Selfie Scandal" and dared the minister to hand over the case to the CBI.