Fadnavis Claims MVA Used ChatGPT to Draft Boycott Letter for Tea Party

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has accused the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of using an AI-generated letter to explain their decision to boycott a customary tea party hosted by the government. The letter, whose contents were also shared during a media briefing, listed reasons for skipping the event and highlighted issues the MVA plans to raise in the ongoing monsoon session of the state legislature, with the farm loan waiver being the primary concern.

Speaking to reporters after a Cabinet meeting, Mr. Fadnavis said the letter appeared to have been drafted using OpenAI's ChatGPT. He noted that he was pleased the opposition was utilising technology, though his remark carried an undertone of criticism. The Chief Minister’s comments come amid a political tussle over the loan waiver demand.

The MVA had called for a meaningful loan waiver for farmers, citing drought-like conditions. Responding to this, Mr. Fadnavis explained the government's position: 'For us, the loan waiver is for the farmers. Our aim is to ensure farmers survive and regain the capacity to take loans again. We look at it from this perspective. We formed a committee and tasked it with examining short-term and long-term measures, as well as the impact on the banking system, and it submitted a report. Based on that, we have set certain criteria.'

Addressing concerns about potential water scarcity, the Chief Minister noted that this year is an El Nino year and that June's rainfall was only 80% of the long-term average. He added that water storage in the state stands at just 24%. 'Water storage is limited at present,' he said, and mentioned that the government is advising farmers on agricultural activities based on data from the Meteorological Department.