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PM Modi slammed a shirtless protest by members of Youth Congress at the AI Summit, saying the party turned a global event into a platform for dirty politics.
PM Modi addressing a public event in Meerut. (PMO)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a blistering attack on the Congress over a shirtless protest at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi, accusing the party of turning a global event into a platform for dirty and ‘naked’ politics.
“Just now, you saw that the world’s largest AI Impact Summit took place in India. Representatives from more than 80 countries around the world came to Delhi. Such a conference has never happened before in any of the developing countries of the world,” PM Modi said while launching development projects in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut.
“However, Congress turned a global event for India into a platform for its dirty and naked politics. Congress leaders reached the venue naked in front of the foreign guests. I ask the Congress people, the country knows that you are already naked, so why did you feel the need to take off your clothes?” he remarked.
#WATCH | Meerut, Uttar Pradesh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “… The Congress turned a global event for India into a platform for its dirty and naked politics. Congress leaders reached the venue naked in front of the foreign guests. I ask the Congress people, the country… https://t.co/fa5yKag8oq pic.twitter.com/81zAr1Qsar— ANI (@ANI) February 22, 2026
‘Congress Leaders Hate Modi’
The Prime Minister further said the incident showed the extent to which the Congress had become ideologically bankrupt, that it was busy defaming its own country. “Congress leaders hate Modi, they want to dig my grave. They don’t even hesitate to insult my mother. They oppose the BJP and NDA, but it is understandable. However, the Congress should have remembered that the AI Global Summit was not a BJP event, and no BJP leader was present at that time. This event was for the country,” he said.
“The Congress crossed all limits the day before yesterday. Today, across the entire country, people are condemning this conduct of the Congress. But look at their misfortune – instead of feeling ashamed, the leaders of such an old party are shamelessly boasting.”
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The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction that Congress’s allies had shown the courage to criticise the party for the incident, adding that the ‘grand old party’ had become a burden on the country.
Congress’ Shirtless Protest
PM Modi’s remarks came two days after Youth Congress workers stormed the AI Impact Summit shirtless at Bharat Mandapam, drawing condemnation from BJP, YSR Congress Party chief, Mayawati among others.
Visuals showed the protesting workers walking inside Bharat Mandapam with their shirts in their hands, raising slogans like “Compromised PM” and “Pax Silica” as they marched through the venue. Police detained around 10 protesters and took them to Tilak Marg police station.
The protest lasted only a few minutes but caused heated exchanges between some attendees and protesters, surprising visitors who had gathered for the high-profile international event. Even Congress’s allies opined that the global event was not the right place for the protest.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav said that creating ruckus is wrong, and expressed solidarity with the government. “Creating a ruckus is wrong; it insults our country in front of foreign delegates. When delegates from around the world are present, we should not create such a disturbance,’ he said.
Former Uttar Pradesh CM and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Supremo Mayawati called the incident “disgraceful and reprehensible”. YSR Congress Party chief and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said the Youth Congress “made us all feel ashamed.”
Meerut, India, India
February 22, 2026, 15:36 IST
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