Guwahati, February 21 Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia on Saturday condemned the Youth Congress' "naked protest" at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi as a "global embarrassment" for India and claimed it was carried out at the "direct instruction" of their leader Rahul Gandhi.
He demanded a thorough investigation into the incident and said that the BJP and its allies' youth wings will stage protests across the state to "expose the ugly face" of the Congress.
Addressing a press conference here, Saikia said, "It was a national shame for us, a moment of global embarrassment. It shows Congress' anti-national stance."
A group of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers had on Friday staged a dramatic "naked protest" at an AI Impact Summit exhibition hall in the national capital, walking around holding t-shirts with slogans against the government and the India-US trade deal printed on those.
Four persons have been arrested in this connection, with IYC national president Uday Bhanu Chib asserting that the organization was not against the AI summit but against "any compromise with India's interests".
Saikia claimed that the protest was carried out at the "direct instruction of Rahul Gandhi", and said, "The conspiracy was hatched at the house of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Sonia Gandhi. Perhaps, (Assam Congress president ) Gaurav Gogoi was also present."
"They can criticise Modi and the BJP, but demeaning India will not be tolerated," the Lok Sabha MP asserted.
Saikia said the protest tried to tarnish the country's image in a platform attended by heads of states and top officials of leading companies.
The BJP state chief maintained that the protest was an opposition to scientific temperament, against youth and innovativeness.
He alleged that the Congress has a habit of questioning whenever the country makes a mark at the global level, be it "raising doubts on the surgical strikes or the recent Operation Sindoor".
Noting that all the four arrested persons were office-bearers of the Youth Congress, Saikia said, "We demand a thorough inquiry into where the conspiracy was hatched."
"It was a good thing that they were 'blessed' with slaps and punches on the spot," he added.
Meanwhile, the youth wings of the BJP and the AGP jointly staged a protest in front of the state Congress headquarters, Rajiv Bhawan, here.
Leading the protest, BJP's state youth wing president Rakesh Das criticised the Congress and accused its leaders of disgracing the country in front of the world.
Slogans against the opposition party and its top leaders were raised by the agitators.
