Eye-witnesses react to Youth Congress’ shirtless protest at AI Summit 2026: ‘Such acts harm India’s image globally’

On February 20, around 10-12 Indian Youth Congress workers staged a shirtless protest at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. They entered Bharat Mandapam with valid QR entry passes and then removed their shirts to display protest slogans. Eye-witnesses reacted to the incident.

Another eyewitness, Sheetal, said," This is not a platform to hold such a protest. This is an AI summit. People from India and abroad are attending this. Big companies have come. AI is built for India and its future. What do they want to prove with such a protest?”

“Whatever is going on here is to build India. AI is the next future for India. People should understand the value of this platform. They should not have protested like this over here,” she added.

Sumit Patni, another witness, says," As a visitor, I feel this is not the right place to hold such a protest. It gives the country a bad image. So many international delegates have come here. We are talking about AI. There are places where you can go and protest.”

“I strongly disagree with this act. This is an AI Impact Summit & not any place to gain political mileage. Criticism is okay, but such acts harm India’s image globally,” wrote a social media user.

An eye-witness named Kabir told ANI, “There’s not much clarity on this. It was written, ‘Our PM has compromised.’ Sloganeering was going on. Then, those people fled once the security arrived. The police were chasing them."

Jeet Vijay, Former CEO - MeitY Startup Hub, said, "We are a democratic country where we respect divergent viewpoints, but there is always a place for protest. Politics should be kept away from here as it affects the image of the country."

“They really think they’ll insult national efforts like this and people will warm up to them? It has the exact opposite impact. But then it’ll be too much to expect from these people to understand this when their leader never misses a chance to ridicule Indian government and PM abroad. We really deserve a better opposition,” wrote another user.

“Under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, Congress workers went topless and created a ruckus at the venue, an act clearly designed to embarrass India on the world stage,” it wrote.

“When the nation is striving to position itself as a global technology powerhouse, such conduct only serves the interests of those who wish to see India falter. Political opposition is a democratic right, but sabotaging India’s global image is not. India deserves better,” it added.

“What the Congress Party attempted today was a staged & direct attack on the growing achievements, aspirations and ambitions of Young India,” Tejasvi Surya wrote on Twitter (now X).

“At a time when the world is recognising India’s leadership in artificial intelligence, it is highly deplorable that the Congress Party chose this platform to protest against the Government. This is not opposition, this is anarchism,” the BJP MP from Bengaluru South added.

BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, "Congress has once again proven that, for them, AI isn't Ambitious India, Artificial Intelligence, Aspirational India. For them, AI is anti-India. This isn't the INC, this is the ANC, the anti-National Congress."