Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers stage a 'shirtless protest', walking around holding T-shirts with slogans against the government and the India-US trade deal printed on them, at the AI Impact Summit, in New Delhi. Photo: IYC via PTI
Youth Cong protest at AI summit: Rahul sabotaging India's image, alleges BJP
Union Ministers accuse Rahul of orchestrating a "vile spectacle" to tarnish India's global tech leadership; Youth Congress claims PM is "compromised" on trade
New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) The BJP slammed the Congress on Friday for a protest staged by the party's youth wing at the ongoing India AI Impact Summit here, alleging that a "ruckus" was created at the venue under opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's directions to sabotage India's image before the world.
A group of India Youth Congress (IYC) workers on Friday staged a brief protest at an exhibition hall of Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the AI summit, raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, before being whisked away by security personnel.
A senior police officer said around 10 people were detained when they were protesting at the venue of the summit.
Reacting sharply to the development, Union minister Piyush Goyal said the protest put the Congress's "arrogance and frustration on display" and asked Gandhi if "humiliating" India to target the BJP-led government is his "idea of opposition".
"While you want to choke India's development by peddling lies about the recent trade deals, your foot soldiers are marching shirtless at the prestigious AI Summit, attempting to embarrass 140 crore Indians globally," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said in a post on X, flaying Gandhi over the protest.
"This disruption strategy only exposes your (Gandhi) and your party's lack of vision for India," Goyal added.
Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat also hit out at Gandhi over the protest, saying it is not surprising to see the followers of the "pea-brained and immature" Congress leader take their shirts off and run around vulgarly at the summit.
"Remember, when their pea-brained, immature leader Rahul Gandhi laughs in front of a dead body and wipes his nose on his own party president in public, it's no surprise then that his followers strip their shirts and run around vulgarly at an AI Summit," he said in a post on X.
"Leadership sets the standard, and this is exactly what they reflect," he added.
BJP leader Amit Malviya said, "At a time when India is hosting a prestigious global AI Summit, showcasing its innovation and leadership in technology, the Congress party chose disruption over dignity." The BJP's IT department head criticised the Youth Congress workers for taking off their shirts and creating a ruckus at the venue, saying the act was "clearly designed to embarrass India on the world stage".
When the country is striving to position itself as a global technology powerhouse, such conduct only serves the interests of those who wish to see it falter, he added.
"Political opposition is a democratic right, but sabotaging India's global image is not," Malviya said in a post on X, stressing, "India deserves better." Reacting sharply to the protest, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari wrote on X: "Shame on Congress Party. Congress behaves like Urban Naxals. Cong is an anti-India party." He alleged that the Youth Congress workers stormed the summit venue and raised "objectionable slogans on the instructions of Rahul Gandhi".
"Rahul Gandhi, Congress and Gandhi-Vadra family should apologise to the country and its youth," Bhandari said.
Meanwhile, a picture has surfaced on the social media, in which Gandhi is seen walking along with Narsimha Yadav, who allegedly organised the protest at the AI summit venue. PTI