‘AI is Anti-India for Congress’: BJP slams Youth Congress over ‘shirtless’ protest at AI Impact Summit

New Delhi: Members of the Indian Youth Congress staged a ‘shirtless’ protest at Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, on Friday.

According to Delhi Police, ten people have been detained in connection with the protest. Police officials said they are verifying whether the protesters entered the venue using valid passes or QR codes. Legal action is being initiated against those involved, sources said.

Cadres of the Indian Youth Congress removed their shirts during the protest and raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.


In a statement posted on X, the organisation said its workers were protesting against a “compromised Prime Minister who has traded the identity of the country at the AI Summit.”

“The Indian Youth Congress workers raised their voice and protested against the compromised Prime Minister who has traded the identity of the country at the AI Summit,” the statement said.



The protest followed criticism from senior Congress leaders over the conduct of the summit. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged that instead of leveraging India’s talent and data, the event had become a “disorganised PR spectacle,” claiming that “Indian data [was] up for sale” and “Chinese products showcased.”

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also alleged large-scale mismanagement at the summit. In a post on X, Kharge said what could have been a “showpiece AI Summit” for the world had “turned into utter chaos and rank mismanagement,” and claimed that visitors and exhibitors faced distress due to a lack of basic facilities such as food and water.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera targeted Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw, alleging that the event reflected administrative incompetence. He also criticised the manner in which the summit was organised.

The protest drew a strong response from the BJP. Party national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, “Congress has once again proven that for them, AI isn’t Ambitious India or Artificial Intelligence. For them, AI is anti-India.” He added that the summit was being praised globally by leaders and technology executives, and alleged that the protest was directed against “India’s achievements.”

Another BJP spokesperson, Pradeep Bhandari, criticised the Congress, alleging that party workers had disrupted an international summit and demanding an apology.

Police officials confirmed that some protesters were detained from the Mandapam premises and that further investigation is underway.

With inputs from ANI