BJP and Congress Clash Over AI Summit Protests

Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha took to the streets on Saturday in several cities, voicing strong opposition against the Congress party. The demonstration was in direct response to a controversial protest by the Indian Youth Congress at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi just a day prior.

Heightened security measures have been implemented in anticipation of the Youth Congress workers' appearance at the Patiala House Court in Delhi. BJP activists have also demonstrated in major cities like Surat and Jammu. A BJP Yuva Morcha participant remarked, "The actions of the Indian Youth Congress yesterday were disgraceful. For Rahul Gandhi, AI seems to stand for anti-India. Such protests send a negative message globally, and both Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party owe the nation an apology."

Meanwhile, former Union Minister Smriti Irani lambasted the Congress's shirtless protest at the AI summit, where they criticized Prime Minister Modi in connection to the India-US interim trade agreement. She questioned if the Congress was undermining India's interests under Rahul Gandhi's influence. In her statement to ANI, Irani accused the Congress of disrespecting the Indian populace through their protest at Bharat Mandapam and criticized their use of an international forum to demean the nation.

"This was more than a protest; it was an assault on India's interests," Irani asserted. She further condemned the Congress Party workers for degrading India's image at the AI Summit, accusing them of contempt for both the Indian public and the nation's entrepreneurial drive.

In contrast, the Delhi police have initiated legal actions against the Indian Youth Congress protestors at the AI summit, charging them under sections related to obstructing a public servant and defying lawful public order, emphasizing that these are non-bailable offenses, sources reported. The Indian Youth Congress defended its actions, claiming they were protesting against what they called a 'compromised Prime Minister' alleged to have traded the country's identity at the AI Summit.