New Delhi, February 24 – A group of prominent and respected citizens strongly criticized the recent shirtless protests by members of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) at the AI Impact Summit, as well as the Congress party's brand and style of politics. They argued that this amounted to prioritizing the party's own interests over the image and prestige of the Republic.
Describing themselves as concerned citizens of India, they condemned the drama and spectacle at the AI Summit as "unforgivable," stating that it brought disgrace to the nation and betrayed national dignity.
The citizens, alarmed by the perceived undermining of the Indian Republic's prestige at the expense of the party's "scripted antics," included many distinguished and respected individuals from various fields, particularly former envoys, retired top bureaucrats, former judges, and armed force veterans.
In a detailed statement titled "A National Disgrace at Bharat Mandapam," nearly 300 accomplished individuals who had served the nation in various capacities voiced strong criticism of the protest methods and said, "We call for a collective rejection of any political culture that finds pride in the public defamation of the motherland."
Among the signatories were former J&K DGP SP Vaid, former Principal Chief Commissioner Income Tax Vijay Kumar Singhal, former RAW chief Sanjeev Tripathi, and former Delhi High Court Chief Justice BC Patel, all of whom expressed shock at the incident.
"This was not a spontaneous expression of dissent, but a premeditated act of sabotage. Entering a secure, international venue under the guise of legitimate participants using QR codes, only to strip and engage in vulgar slogans, is a breach of both security and basic decorum. Such behavior is not "activism"—it is "anti-national disruption" designed to signal instability to global investors and partners," the statement said.
They also criticized the timing of the shirtless protests at the AI Expo, arguing that when India was showcasing its intellectual might with the world's most influential tech leaders, global CEOs, and international delegates in attendance, the "scripted antics" of the Congress youth wing members served only to defame the country on the global stage.
"By choosing a high-level diplomatic and technological forum to execute a crude, exhibitionist stunt, the organizers have proven that their brand of politics prioritizes personal optics over the prestige of the Republic," they stated.
They further argued that a democratic protest is a sacred right, but it is not a license for anarchy or the public humiliation of the nation.
"True political opposition challenges policy through intellectual rigor and parliamentary debate; it does not resort to stripping in front of foreign dignitaries to garner social media traction. This stunt has provided our adversaries with the very footage they need to undermine India's success story," the statement further stated.
The concerned citizens also denounced the move as an attempt to "hijack a national milestone for partisan theatre of absurdity" and said that the "shirtless" stunt was a pathetic display of "brainless" politics that insults the intelligence of the Indian youth it claims to represent.
"International forums must remain off-limits for the undignified internal squabbles of any political party. Such actions did not hurt a government; they hurt a nation," they concluded.
A day earlier, a group of academics and educationists had called out the "topless" demonstrations by IYC members at AI Expo, terming the move as "profoundly regrettable and ill-conceived."