New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Indian National Congress, accusing it of using a global platform for “dirty and naked politics” after Youth Congress leaders staged a shirtless protest during the recent India AI Impact Summit in the national capital.
Addressing a public gathering in Meerut, the Prime Minister said the protest reflected how “ideologically bankrupt” and “impoverished” the grand old party had become. “You are already naked, then why did you feel the need to take off your clothes?” he said in a scathing jibe aimed at the opposition party.
Protest at AI Impact Summit
The controversy erupted when a group of workers from the Indian Youth Congress allegedly barged into a hall during the AI Impact Summit held in New Delhi on Friday. The protesters removed their shirts and shouted slogans against the Centre, reportedly over India agreeing to a trade deal with the United States.
Some of the demonstrators were seen holding T-shirts bearing images of Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump. Security personnel and police deployed at the venue intervened and escorted the protesters out after an alleged altercation.
Four protesters — Krishna Hari, Youth Congress national secretary; Kundan Yadav, Bihar Youth Congress state secretary; Ajay Kumar, Uttar Pradesh Youth Congress vice-president; and Narasimha Yadav, Youth Congress national coordinator — were arrested. They were produced before a court on Saturday and remanded to five days of police custody.
‘Not a BJP event’, says PM
In his speech, the Prime Minister emphasised that the AI Summit was a national event and not a party programme. “Congress should have remembered that the AI Global Summit was not a BJP event, and no BJP leader was present at that time. This was national work. But Congress broke the decorum that day,” he said.
He further alleged that certain political parties were unable to “digest India’s success” on the global stage. Referring to the summit as one of the largest global conferences on artificial intelligence hosted by India, he accused the Congress of attempting to defame the country.
“Congress is busy defaming its own country. Some political parties within the country cannot digest India’s success. We just witnessed the world’s largest AI conference in India. But what did the Congress and its ecosystem do? The Congress turned a global event for India into a platform for its dirty and naked politics,” he said.
The Prime Minister also claimed that the Congress leadership routinely targeted him personally. “Congress leaders hate me, they want to dig my grave. They don’t even hesitate to insult my mother,” he added.
Political reactions intensify
The protest has sparked sharp political reactions across party lines. The ruling BJP has condemned the demonstration, terming it disrespectful to a global event hosted by India.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also criticised the shirtless protest, reportedly calling it an act that “brings shame”, further intensifying the political debate around the incident.
The AI Impact Summit was positioned as a major international platform to discuss artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and India’s role in shaping global digital governance. The Centre had highlighted the summit as a reflection of India’s growing stature in technology and innovation.
Wider political context
The protest appears to be part of a broader opposition push to question the Centre over its economic and foreign policy decisions, including trade engagements with the United States. However, the mode of protest has drawn criticism even from some opposition quarters, with detractors arguing that it detracted from the substantive issues being raised.
Political analysts note that high-profile global events increasingly become flashpoints for domestic political messaging. While opposition parties argue that such platforms offer visibility to their concerns, ruling parties often frame such protests as attempts to embarrass the country internationally.
Conclusion
As the arrested Youth Congress leaders remain in police remand, the episode has added fresh fuel to the ongoing political confrontation between the BJP and the Congress ahead of key electoral contests. The debate now extends beyond the trade deal issue to questions of political decorum and the appropriateness of protest methods at international forums.
With both sides sharpening their rhetoric, the fallout from the AI Summit protest is likely to reverberate in Parliament and public discourse in the days to come.