Assam BJP chief slams Congress' ‘shirtless protest’ AI Summit as 'global shame'

Guwahati, Feb 21: Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia, on Saturday, condemned Youth Congress' “shirtless protest” at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi as “global embarrassment” for India and claimed it was carried out at the "direct instruction" of their leader Rahul Gandhi.

He demanded a thorough inquiry into the incident and said the BJP and its allies' youth wings will stage protests across the state to "expose the ugly face" of the Congress.

Addressing a press conference here, Saikia said, "It was a national shame for us, a moment of global embarrassment. It shows Congress' anti-national stance."

“The conspiracy was hatched at the house of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Sonia Gandhi. Perhaps, (Assam Congress president ) Gaurav Gogoi was also present. They can criticise Modi and the BJP, but demeaning India will not be tolerated," the Lok Sabha MP asserted,” Saikia claimed.

A group of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers had on Friday staged a dramatic "shirtless protest" at an AI Impact Summit exhibition hall in the national capital, walking around holding t-shirts with slogans against the government and the India-US trade deal printed on those.

Four persons have been arrested in this connection, with IYC national president Uday Bhanu Chib asserting that the organisation was not against the AI summit but against "any compromise with India's interests".

Highlighting that all the four arrested persons were office-bearers of the Youth Congress, Saikia said, "We demand a thorough inquiry into where the conspiracy was hatched."

He said that a protest will be staged on Saturday afternoon in front of the state Congress headquarters, Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati, by youth wings of the BJP and its ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).

"Protests will be held in different parts of the state to expose the ugly face of the Congress," Saikia added.

PTI