BJP hits back at Congress with protests over 'shameful' AI summit demo

BJP Yuva Morcha protested in several cities against the Indian Youth Congress's shirtless demonstration at the AI Impact Summit. Smriti Irani condemned the Congress protest, while Delhi Police booked the IYC members involved in the incident.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha members gathered in large numbers in different cities on Saturday to raise slogans against the Congress party. The protest comes as a direct response to the controversial demonstration held by the Indian Youth Congress at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi just a day prior.Meanwhile, heavy security is deployed ahead of the production of Youth Congress workers at the Patiala House Court, Delhi. The BJP workers also held a protest against the Congress party in Surat and Jammu today.

A BJP Yuva Morcha worker said, "The Indian Youth Congress workers carried out a very shameful incident yesterday. For Rahul Gandhi, AI means anti-India. This protest sends a very wrong signal to the world. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party should apologise to the nation"

Smriti Irani criticises Congress

Meanwhile, former Union Minister Smriti Irani criticised the Congress's shirtless protest at the AI summit against PM Modi over the India-US interim trade agreement, questioning whether the opposition party attacked the interests of India at the behest of its leader, Rahul Gandhi.

Speaking to ANI, the BJP leader accused the Congress of allegedly showing contempt for the people of India through their protest at Bharat Mandapam. She also accused the party of using a global platform to embarrass the nation.

"This was not a protest, political in nature. This was an attack on India's interests. The Congress Party workers who came to attack the interests of India today at the AI Summit have brought it much disgrace, have exhibited a contempt for the people of India and for the entrepreneurial spirit of India," said Irani.

Background of the protest and police action

This comes after members of the Indian Youth Congress staged a protest at the Bharat Mandapam venue of the Al Impact India Summit in the national capital by removing their shirts with slogans that read, "Compromised PM".

On the other hand, Delhi police have booked protestors from the Indian Youth Congress, who raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the AI summit being held in the national capital, under provisions including voluntarily obstructing a public servant in the discharge of his duty and other sections related to defying lawful public order, noting that these sections are non-bailable, sources said.

In a statement, the Indian Youth Congress said its workers were protesting against a "compromised Prime Minister who has traded the identity of the country at the Al Summit".

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)