'Far Away From Reality': BJP Counters Rahul Gandhi's 'Patriotism' Remark On AI Summit Protest

Last Updated:February 24, 2026, 20:31 IST

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said the reaction of ordinary people present at the AI Summit venue should serve as a reminder to the party that is "far away from the reality".

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his defence of the shirtless protest at the AI Impact Summit, with Union Minister Pralhad Joshi accusing the Congress of hypocrisy and being “far away from reality".

Responding to Gandhi’s remarks justifying the Indian Youth Congress’ shirtless protest during a high-profile AI summit, Joshi said attempts to label the disruption as a “peaceful protest" were aimed at hiding irresponsible conduct that embarrassed India on a global stage.

In a post on X, the minister said such actions stood in sharp contrast to Congress’ repeated claims of patriotism.

“The statements made attempting to justify the disgraceful disruption at Bharat Mandapam only expose the contradiction and hypocrisy at the core of Congress politics," Joshi said.

He added that the reaction of ordinary people present at the venue should serve as a reminder to the party that it was disconnected from ground realities.

Joshi further alleged that while the Congress speaks of patriotism, it repeatedly creates situations that harm India’s image internationally.

“This is not democracy. It is one party acting against the interests of the country simply because it is not in power," he said, accusing the Congress of having no clear roadmap, policy direction or positive agenda for the youth.

The BJP’s response came after Gandhi defended the protest during a public address in Bhopal, where he praised Youth Congress members as “fearless lions" and described them as carrying the “blood of patriotism".

His remarks were aimed at countering criticism over the disruption that took place at Bharat Mandapam on February 20, when the AI impact summit was underway.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police have arrested Indian Youth Congress (IYC) national president Uday Bhanu Chib in connection with the incident. Police sources said Chib was questioned before being formally taken into custody, taking the total number of arrests in the case to eight.

On Monday, three other IYC members, Jitendra Yadav, Raja Gujar and Vimal Ajay Kumar, were also arrested, while four others had been detained earlier.

According to police, the incident occurred around 12.30 pm inside a hall hosting the AI Impact Expo.

The protesters had completed online registration and entered the venue using QR codes.

Once inside, they allegedly removed their outer clothing, staged a shirtless protest, raised slogans and displayed politically charged messages on their T-shirts, including slogans targeting the Prime Minister.

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