New Delhi [India], February 20 : Union Information Technology (IT) Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday slammed the Congress over the 'shirtless' protest organised by its youth wing at Bharat Mandapam during the AI Impact Summit 2026, asserting that the youth does not believe in the negative politics peddled by the opposition party.
Addressing a press conference here, he said the Congress doesn't even comprehend the needs of the country's youth.
"The youth very clearly said that this is their exhibition. It is the exhibition. This is the summit for the youth. The youth who want to make the best use of it. They don't believe in the negative politics that Congress was trying to play. We had some bad choices here. We took immediate action against anybody who tried to demean the good work done by our startups," Vaishnaw said.
His remarks come after a group of Indian Youth Congress members staged a protest at the Bharat Mandapam, venue of the AI Impact India Summit, in the national capital by removing and displaying their shirts printed with slogans which read 'Compromised Prime Minister'.
Vaishnaw added, "When so many good things are happening, how can one small thing be highlighted so much. It's a personal learning for me. It was also a learning for me that people who are in politics, some of the people are opposition, they don't even understand what the youth today wants, and they try to create things which are sad in a way and funny in another way."
The Delhi Police detained four Indian Youth Congress workers for protesting. The protesters engaged in a prolonged scuffle, and several serious charges have been registered in this matter, as per Delhi police sources.
Delhi Police sources added that the protesters had initially planned to enter the venue with black umbrellas carrying printed stickers. Fearing they would be caught during security checks, they changed their plan and wore T-shirts with the printed messages instead.
As this happened, BJP Yuva Morcha members protested outside the residence of Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over the protests at the AI Summit venue, and were detained by the Delhi Police.
According to police officials, several BJP Yuva Morcha activists were detained as they raised slogans against Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of "shaming India".
"Rahul Gandhi Murdabad," the BJP Yuva Morcha activists said while holding a banner with the photograph of the Congress leader that read, "Shames India".
A BJP Yuva Morcha leader said, "The way Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party tarnished India's reputation by storming the AI Summit. Rahul Gandhi continues to try to tarnish India's reputation on the international stage. Traitor Rahul Gandhi."