A group of more than 150 academics on Monday, February 23, 2026, condemned a shirtless protest by members of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) at the India AI Impact Summit, calling the action “ill-timed” and “disgraceful” and saying it could not be defended as “democratic dissent.” The joint statement, led by Binay Kumar Singh, director of the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, argued the protest risked harming India’s international credibility at a moment of heightened global attention on the country’s AI ecosystem.
The statement said “a broad cross-section of India’s academic and intellectual community” had expressed deep concern over what it described as the “highly shameful and disgraceful conduct” of IYC leaders at the summit. Signatories argued the disruption converted a platform for technological dialogue into partisan theatrics and reflected a serious lapse in judgment.
Notable signatories included Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, University of Mumbai Vice-Chancellor R.D. Kulkarni, NIT Jalandhar Director B.K. Kanaujia, IIM Amritsar founding director N. Ramamoorthy, IIT Jodhpur director A.K. Agarwal, representatives from IIT Dharwad, along with professors and former teachers from Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia.
The academics said the summit was a key opportunity for India to showcase its technological capabilities, strategic vision and growing leadership in artificial intelligence to the global community. In that context, they said, the reported disruption on February 20 was “ill-timed and potentially detrimental to India’s international credibility.”
The coordinated signature campaign included vice-chancellors, former vice-chancellors, directors, senior professors, researchers and intellectuals from across the country who registered their “strongest possible condemnation,” according to the statement. The signatories described the protest as a reckless and deeply irresponsible act that risked sabotaging India’s global image.
“The academic community has characterised the episode as shameful in the highest order,” the statement said, adding that using such a forum for partisan theatrics showed disregard for the larger national interest. The initiative, the academics said, reflects their commitment to responsible public discourse and to protecting India’s technological standing as it strengthens its role in the global AI landscape.
Youth Congress members staged the protest at the summit on February 20, raising slogans on unemployment, inflation and a reported India–US trade deal, an action that prompted a fierce political backlash and sharp exchanges between the BJP-led Union government and the Opposition. Delhi Police have so far arrested five people in connection with the incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday criticised Congress leaders for praising the youth wing’s protest, saying: “Unfortunately, the leaders of the oldest party of the country are praising those who embarrassed the country instead of criticising them.” (IANS)
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/02/23/academics-including-iit-iim-chiefs-slam-iyc-for-disgraceful-conduct-at-ai-summit/
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Publish Date: 2026-02-23 16:24:00
