New Delhi

Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha staged protests in several cities on Saturday, raising slogans against the Congress party over a controversial demonstration by the Indian Youth Congress at the India AI Impact Summit in the national capital a day earlier.

The protests were held in cities including New Delhi, Surat and Jammu. Security was tightened in the capital ahead of the production of Youth Congress workers before Patiala House Court, following police action related to the incident at the summit.

A BJP Yuva Morcha activist alleged that the demonstration by Indian Youth Congress members had brought embarrassment to the country. “What happened yesterday was shameful. Such acts send a wrong message to the world. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party should apologise to the nation,” the protester said.

Former Union Minister Smriti Irani also criticised the Congress, targeting the shirtless protest staged at the AI summit against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India–US interim trade agreement. She questioned whether the opposition had undermined national interests at the behest of its leadership.

Speaking to ANI, Irani said the protest amounted to an attack on India’s interests and accused Congress workers of using a global platform to embarrass the country. She alleged that the demonstration showed contempt for the people of India and the country’s entrepreneurial spirit.

The controversy erupted after members of the Indian Youth Congress staged a protest at Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the India AI Impact Summit, by removing their shirts and displaying slogans such as “Compromised PM”.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police have registered cases against the Youth Congress protesters for raising slogans at the summit, invoking sections related to obstructing public servants and disobedience of lawful orders. Sources said the invoked provisions are non-bailable.

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In a statement, the Indian Youth Congress said its workers were protesting against what it termed a “compromised Prime Minister”, alleging that national interests were undermined at the AI summit.