A day after members of the Indian Youth Congress staged a shirtless protest at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, the party’s youth wing posted a photograph of Mahatma Gandhi on social media to defend the demonstration. The protesters raised slogans targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government, citing alleged unemployment, rising inflation and the reported India‑US trade deal as grievances. Security personnel detained the demonstrators and escorted them out to prevent disruption of the international summit, which was attended by senior government officials, industry representatives and foreign delegates.
Eyewitnesses said several Youth Congress workers removed their shirts inside the venue, stood shirtless in front of an India AI Summit display board, shouted slogans and took photographs before security stepped in. Protesters were quickly detained and removed from the premises after security intervened to restore order.
In a post on X, the Youth Congress sought to justify the action, writing “Hum Gandhiji ke Vanshaj hai, Shirtless hi sahi” — “We are descendants of Gandhiji, even if we are shirtless.” The message was shared with a photograph of Mahatma Gandhi carrying the tag ‘Shirtless Congressi’.
The protest prompted sharp criticism from leaders of the BJP‑led NDA, who accused the Congress of trying to tarnish the country’s image at a high‑profile international event attended by global delegates. Ruling‑alliance leaders called the demonstration an attempt to seek publicity during a globally significant summit.
Opposition leaders defended the action as a legitimate form of dissent in a democracy, saying protest is part of political expression. The episode underlined escalating political tensions around public demonstrations and the handling of disruptions at events with international participation. (IANS)
Original Source: https://www.sentinelassam.com/more-news/national-news/youth-cong-shares-shirtless-congressi-post-featuring-mahatma-gandhi
Category: National News
Tags:
Publish Date: 2026-02-21 23:51:00
