(Photo: Agencies)
NEW DELHI: The BJP-led Central government on Friday lashed out at the Congress and pointed guns at Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi after members of the party’s youth wing did a shirtless “vile act” at the ongoing AI summit.The police said the remarks came after about 10 Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers were arrested after they briefly raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi inside Exhibition Hall No. 5 at Bharat Mandapam.The “topless” protest sparked a political war of words, with BJP leaders accusing Congress of orchestrating the unrest.
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“Topless, brainless, shameless.”
BJP MP Sambit Patra said: “Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party are traitors of the highest order.
The biggest traitors to the country. Wherever the country progresses, wherever happiness prevails, they will certainly spoil it. “These are traitors… I only have three words for Congress: topless, brainless, and shameless.”“Today, they are bare-chested, brainless. Congress does not have much sense that the AI summit being held is not a BJP summit. This is an AI summit for the entire world,” he said.
“Gen Z will never forgive Congress party. I ask Gen Z to Google Nehru, Edwina and snake.
You will see Pandit Nehru laughing as he described India as a country of snake charmers in front of Edwina Mountbatten and the British. Rahul Gandhi did today exactly what Nehru did then…”
“Sabotaging India’s global image”
Amit Malviya, BJP’s IT chief, also criticized the protest, saying: “At a time when India is hosting a prestigious global AI summit, to showcase its innovation and leadership in technology, the Congress party has chosen disruption over dignity.”He claimed that the act was “clearly designed to embarrass India on the world stage” and added that “political dissent is a democratic right, but sabotaging India’s global image is not… India deserves better.”In another post, Malviya said: “Narsimha Yadav, one of the main organizers of today’s naked protest at the AI Summit, has pictures with Rahul Gandhi.” He added, “This should leave no doubt that the disruption was not accidental, but was planned. Such theatrics on the international stage only serve to harm India’s image and undermine the very platform that aims to highlight the country’s technological leadership. Political differences are part of democracy. Embarrassing India in front of the world is not.”A picture circulating on social media shows Rahul Gandhi walking alongside Narsimha Yadav, who allegedly organized the protest.
“Congress is an anti-India party”
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also criticized the party, saying, “The Congress party has committed an anti-national act. This was the Global AI Summit, led by India. It was not a personal political forum. Just as an anti-national person feels uncomfortable, angry and jealous of the prestige of the country, the Gandhi-Vadra family instructed their Congress functionaries in the same way and committed this anti-national act.”
..”In another post on X, he said that Congress workers stormed the place and raised “objectionable slogans on the instructions of Rahul Gandhi.” He also called on “Rahul Gandhi, the Congress and the Gandhi-Vadra family to apologize to the country and its youth.”
Congress’s arrogance and frustration are on display
Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal accused Rahul Gandhi of trying to “insult India”. In his X post, he wrote: “This is Congress’ arrogance and frustration on display! So, Mr Rahul Gandhi, humiliating India by targeting the government is your idea of opposition!”“While you want to stifle India’s development by peddling lies about recent trade deals, your soldiers are marching shirtless at the prestigious AI summit, trying to embarrass 140 crore Indians globally.
He added that this obstruction strategy only exposes your and your party’s lack of vision for India.
“The Congress Party chose the path of obstruction”
Highlighting the same sentiments against Congress Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, he said: “While the entire world was watching India host the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi and witnessing our growing global leadership in the areas of technology and innovation, the Congress party chose the path of disrupting the event rather than enhancing the honor of the nation.”“The shameful manner in which the Youth Congress workers created a stir at the venue by indulging in inappropriate behavior is not only unfortunate but also an attempt to tarnish India’s reputation on the international stage…” he added.
“despicable act”
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “Today, the youth wing of the Congress party tried to commit a shameful incident at Bharat Mandapam. An attempt has been made to tarnish India’s image globally, and we condemn it…
Strict action must be taken against those behind this.”Union Minister Bhupinder Yadav called the protest “sheer impudence of the Congress!” “At a time when Bharat is taking strides in positioning itself as a global technology power, Congress is doing its best to embarrass the country. This is not political opposition, it is an attempt to sabotage India’s global image. It is despicable,” he added.
What happened at the event?
Protesters marched inside the venue wearing or carrying white T-shirts bearing pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, along with slogans such as “India-US trade deal”, “Epstein files” and “PM hacked”, leading to heated discussions with some attendees.In a statement, the Indian Youth Congress defended the protest, saying its workers were raising their voices against the “compromising Prime Minister who traded the country’s identity at the AI summit.”“The workers of the Indian Youth Congress have raised their voices and protested against the compromising Prime Minister who traded on the country’s identity at the AI summit,” the organization said in an official circular.“Instead of leveraging Indian talent and data, the AI Summit is a disorganized PR spectacle – Indian data for sale, Chinese products showcased,” she added.“The truth cannot be hidden behind the glittering stage of the AI Summit,” the organization said in a separate post. “When corporate interests are placed above the well-being of the nation and there is apparent softness in foreign policy, protest becomes a duty.”
“This is why the brave workers of the Indian Youth Congress have reached Bharat Mandapam.. so that a voice can be raised against the ‘compromising PM’ and the Modi government is forced to answer for the concessions being made on the honor of the country!” She added.
