Gandhinagar/New Delhi, February 21 – Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said on Saturday that in its attempt to oppose the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress had chosen to oppose India, in response to the party's protest against the recent AI Impact Summit.
This reaction followed a protest by Youth Congress workers on Friday, who criticized the summit and questioned the Central government's claims regarding its impact on employment and economic priorities.
Addressing the controversy, Patel said, "Under the guidance and leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the world has witnessed the rise of a new India through the grand success of the AI Impact Summit."
He added that the initiative had opened new opportunities for young people. "India's youth have achieved new heights for their dreams. This initiative has created immense opportunities for young people in start-ups and emerging sectors," he said.
Referring to the protest, the Chief Minister said, "Those who cannot accept this achievement and the global image that India is building are opposing it."
He further alleged, "In the process of opposing the BJP, the Congress has chosen the path of opposing India."
Patel also said that whenever India's stature rises globally, the Congress has made it a practice to criticize such efforts. "It has been their old habit to oppose whenever India's voice grows stronger on the world stage," he said.
Accusing the opposition of attempting to create doubts among young people, he said, "When new avenues of development have opened up for the country's youth, they are trying to create suspicion in their minds and are opposing the AI Summit merely for cheap publicity."
He added that the Congress "should feel ashamed of such actions and apologise to the nation."
The Congress has maintained that its protest was aimed at raising concerns about employment and the broader economic situation, stating that its criticism was directed at policy priorities rather than technological advancement.
The AI Impact Summit was organized under the Centre's IndiaAI Mission and brought together policymakers, technology firms, start-ups and industry representatives to deliberate on artificial intelligence governance, research collaboration and sectoral applications.
The government has presented the platform as part of its effort to position India as a global hub for responsible and inclusive AI development.
