A political storm erupted after a group of protesters, allegedly linked to the Indian Youth Congress, staged a shirtless protest during the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
The demonstrators raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the India-US trade deal, and were seen wearing or carrying T-shirts bearing messages such as “PM is compromised”, “India-US trade deal” and “Epstein Files”, according to PTI. Police detained at least four to ten individuals and initiated legal action.
The incident drew sharp reactions from senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who accused the Congress of attempting to embarrass India on the global stage.
Sambit Patra’s Allegations
At a press conference on February 20, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that four individuals arrested at the summit were Youth Congress leaders and senior Congress workers.
“When I came to the press conference today, I was very angry, but I barely contained myself. This anger is not just among BJP spokespersons, but across Gen Z in India. This is not a fight between the BJP and the Congress, but rather India against the forces that seek to tarnish India’s image,” Patra said.
He claimed that the protesters entered the summit after registering with a barcode and then stripped to stage the protest. Patra further alleged that the planning took place at the residence of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in the presence of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
“This wasn’t planned by some Youth Congress leader on the street. It was planned at Rahul Gandhi’s residence, in the presence of Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Priyanka Vadra. This is an experiment, not a coincidence,” he said.
#WATCH | Delhi: On the protest by Indian Youth Congress workers, BJP MP Sambit Patra says, “… This wasn’t planned by some Youth Congress leader on the street. It was planned at Rahul Gandhi’s residence, in the presence of Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Priyanka Vadra. This is… pic.twitter.com/T0mFZoITUO
— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2026
Patra also said, “Rahul Gandhi is the country’s biggest traitor, a spoiler of the game. He questions everything, be it Operation Sindoor or the air strike. I have three words for the Congress party: topless, brainless, and shameless. This isn’t a BJP summit or executive committee. This is India’s AI summit.”
There has been no official response from the Youth Congress to the allegation that the planning took place at Rahul Gandhi’s home.
Rajnath Singh Calls Protest ‘Shameful’
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also criticised the protest, saying that while the world was watching India host the AI Impact Summit and witnessing its growing leadership in technology and innovation, the Congress chose to disrupt the event.
जब पूरा विश्व भारत को नई दिल्ली में मौजूद भारत मंडपम में आयोजित एआई इम्पैक्ट समिट की मेजबानी करते हुए देख रहा था और तकनीक व नवाचार के क्षेत्र में हमारे बढ़ते वैश्विक नेतृत्व का साक्षी बन रहा था, उस समय कांग्रेस ने देश का सम्मान बढ़ाने के बजाय आयोजन में व्यवधान उत्पन्न करने का…
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) February 20, 2026
“The shameful manner in which Youth Congress workers created a ruckus at the venue by indulging in inappropriate behavior is not only unfortunate but also an attempt to tarnish India’s reputation on the international stage. I condemn this act of the Congress party,” he said.
Singh added that it was “extremely regrettable” to place partisan politics above the nation’s prestige and honour.
Piyush Goyal Terms It ‘Congress Arrogance’
Union Minister Piyush Goyal described the protest as “CONGRESS ARROGANCE & FRUSTRATION on display.”
This is CONGRESS ARROGANCE & FRUSTRATION on display!
So, Mr. Rahul Gandhi, humiliating India to target the Government is your idea of opposition!
While you want to CHOKE India’s development by peddling lies about the recent trade deals, your foot soldiers are marching shirtless… https://t.co/inDbpGcNoY
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) February 20, 2026
“So, Mr. Rahul Gandhi, humiliating India to target the Government is your idea of opposition! While you want to CHOKE India’s development by peddling lies about the recent trade deals, your foot soldiers are marching shirtless at the prestigious AI Summit, attempting to embarrass 140 crore Indians globally. This disruption strategy only exposes your and your party’s lack of vision for India,” he said in a post.
Summit Context
The protest occurred on the fifth and concluding day of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, which featured discussions on India’s education system, the US-India AI partnership, AI in negotiations and diplomacy, data sovereignty and global AI governance.
India formally joined the United States’ AI initiative Pax Silica during the summit. Prime Minister Modi addressed the gathering earlier, presenting India’s ‘MANAV’ vision for AI and calling for stronger guardrails to regulate emerging technologies.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who delivered a keynote address, said that early versions of “true superintelligence” may be only a couple of years away and suggested the need for global governance mechanisms.
The shirtless protest has since triggered a sharp political confrontation, with the BJP accusing the Congress of seeking to undermine India’s global image at a high-profile international forum.
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