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A dramatic shirtless protest at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 triggered a sharp political showdown, with PM Modi accusing Congress of embarrassing the nation before global delegates. What exactly happened inside Bharat Mandapam?
PM Modi claimed it was an attempt to defame India on an international stage
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sharply criticised the Congress after Youth Congress workers staged a shirtless protest during the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi. Addressing a gathering in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, the Prime Minister accused the party of converting a prestigious global platform into what he described as “dirty politics.”
Highlighting the scale of the summit, Modi said representatives from over 80 countries attended the event, calling it one of the largest AI-focused global gatherings hosted by a developing nation.
The Prime Minister said the summit was organised as a national initiative and not as a political programme. He alleged that the protest reflected the Congress party’s “ideological bankruptcy” and claimed it was an attempt to defame India on an international stage.
Modi also remarked that political opposition is part of democracy, but staging demonstrations at a global forum attended by foreign delegates crossed acceptable limits. He added that several political leaders, including some allied with Congress, had expressed disapproval of the protest.
The controversy erupted when Youth Congress workers entered Bharat Mandapam, the summit venue, without shirts and raised slogans criticising the government. Visuals showed protesters holding their shirts while marching briefly inside the complex.
Security personnel quickly intervened, and around 10 protesters were detained and taken to Tilak Marg police station. The protest lasted only a few minutes but drew attention due to the presence of international delegates and technology leaders at the venue.
The incident sparked strong reactions from the ruling BJP and other political figures. Critics termed the protest inappropriate for an international conference focused on artificial intelligence and innovation.
While the Congress has defended its right to protest, the episode has intensified political exchanges between the ruling party and the opposition ahead of upcoming political engagements.
