New Delhi, February 21 – Union Minister Kiren Rijiju criticized the Congress on Saturday over the shirtless protest by its workers at the AI summit, saying he had expected the party to apologize for the incident.
Rijiju posted on his social media platform 'X', stating, "I was expecting the Congress party to apologize for the disgraceful behavior of the Youth Congress activists. I was shocked when Congress leaders defended this disgraceful conduct! The public taught them a lesson! Some journalists also justified it."
Members of the Indian Youth Congress staged a dramatic protest inside Bharat Mandapam on Friday during the India AI Impact Summit 2026, raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government over alleged "unemployment, inflation, and the reported India-US trade deal".
According to officials, several Youth Congress workers removed their shirts and shouted slogans, including "PM is compromised," before security personnel intervened. The protesters were quickly detained and removed from the venue to prevent disruption of the high-profile international event attended by government officials, industry leaders, and foreign delegates.
Some of the party workers, shouting slogans, went completely bare and stood in front of an India AI Summit board, taking pictures and attempting to create a commotion.
The security personnel quickly intervened and forced them to leave.
It was unclear how the workers gained access to the venue, where thousands of people, including foreigners, were present.
The Youth Congress shared videos of their protest on their social media handle.
BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Friday accused the Congress of bringing shame to all Indians, saying the party's "chaotic policies" would lead to its downfall.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also condemned the shirtless protest by a group of Indian Youth Congress people against the central government and the Indo-US trade deal, terming it highly disgraceful and deplorable.
The Congress on Friday defended a shirtless protest by members from its frontal organization for youth at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi, calling it their expression of anger against the Union government over a reported trade deal with the United States.
