Congress's 'shirtless protest' targets AI Summit; shameful, says BJP

A group of Indian Youth Congress workers on Friday held a 'shirtless protest' at the World AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. The Congress workers shouted slogans against PM Modi and the India-US trade deal announced recently at one of the summit exhibition halls. The protesters were wearing T-shirts with images of PM Narendra Modi and US President printed on them, along with slogans such as 'India-US Trade Deal', 'Epstein Files' and 'PM is compromised', written on them. Delhi Police personnel detained 10 people and took them to Tilak Marg Police station.

Later, Delhi Police informed that four of them have been arrested and will be presented before the Patiala House Court.

The government and BJP sharply attacked Congress over the protest and termed it a part of Congress' anti-India agenda as they were deliberately trying to tarnish India's image on the global stage. Several Union ministers strongly criticised the protest. "The unruly conduct of Youth Congress workers at the venue was deeply unfortunate and reflects a disregard for the dignity of an event of international significance. Such actions risk undermining India's image at a time when the nation is being recognised globally for its progress. I strongly condemn this behaviour...," Defence minister Rajnath Singh wrote on X. Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan termed it as Congress' anti-India agenda on display. "Today, when the world is applauding India's progress, Congress is busy pushing its anti-India agenda. The commotion, chaos, and insensitivity at an international platform like the AI Summit shows that for the Congress, it's not national interest, but family interest and political vested interest that reigns supreme. Congress' politics has now shrunk to mere disruption and embarrassment," Pradhan said. In response to the Congress protest, a group of BJP workers reached Rahul Gandhi's residence with his posters and slogans such as 'Anti-India Rahul Gandhi' written on them. Delhi Police immediately controlled the situation.


The Indian Youth Congress leadership justified the "shirtless protest" and claimed the protestors were symbolically demonstrating the anger among the youth. However, as the incident triggered criticism from BJP and even from certain social circles usually friendly to the Opposition party, there was palpable unease within sections of the Congress over the choice of venue and method of protest even as the Youth Congress circles were eagerly awaiting Rahul Gandhi to come out in support of their action. IYC national president Uday Bhanu Chib said, "This anger isn't just from our Youth Congress members. It's from every young person who is unemployed today, and every single one of them knows that our PM is compromised."