Patna, February 21 – Union MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi launched a sharp attack on Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday, following a controversial protest by Youth Congress activists at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, where they were shirtless.
Speaking on the social media platform X, Manjhi used mathematical analogies to compare Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Rahul Gandhi.
In his post, he wrote, "The nation's honour = Narendra Modi, the nation's respect = Narendra Modi, the nation's disgrace = Congress Party, the nation's curse = Rahul Gandhi."
Escalating his criticism, Manjhi questioned Rahul's political conduct and described the protest as an insult to the country.
"Rahul Gandhi, how long will you behave like a child? When guests come to your house, do you get naked and create a ruckus in front of them? The AI Summit was an event in our country, every Indian's home. Allowing such behaviour is condemnable and will be written in the black pages of India's history. It was shameful," Manjhi said.
Manjhi's remarks came after a group of men, allegedly linked to the Indian Youth Congress, disrupted the AI Summit with a shirtless protest.
The BJP claimed that the demonstration was organised by Narsimha Yadav, described as an aide of Rahul Gandhi.
According to the BJP, the protest targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India–US trade agreement.
Rahul had earlier opposed the deal during the Budget Session of Parliament, alleging that it was signed under pressure from US President Donald Trump.
Outside Parliament, Rahul had remarked, "The Prime Minister is compromised," a statement that Congress workers reportedly turned into slogans during the protest at the summit venue.
The controversy further intensified after BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya shared a photograph from Rahul's Bharat Jodo Yatra, showing the Congress leader with Narsimha Yadav.
The BJP alleged that Yadav was among the key organisers of the protest.
The incident has triggered a fresh political confrontation between the BJP and the Congress, with the ruling party accusing the opposition of tarnishing India’s image on an international platform, while the Congress maintains that its protest was aimed at highlighting concerns of national interest.
