Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen along with Narsimha Yadav, who is alleged to have organised the controversial “naked protest” during the India AI Impact Summit, triggering a fresh political storm on Friday.
The development comes after members of the Indian Youth Congress staged a protest at Bharat Mandapam during the high-profile global AI event, prompting sharp reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The protest had already snowballed into a major political confrontation, with senior BJP leaders accusing the Congress of deliberately embarrassing the country at an international forum.
According to visuals circulating on social media, Rahul Gandhi was present alongside Narsimha Yadav, who has been identified by BJP leaders as one of the key organisers of the demonstration.
BJP sources claimed that Narsimha Yadav, described as one of the main organisers of the protest, has photographs with Rahul Gandhi. “This should leave no doubt that the disruption was not incidental, it was orchestrated,” sources said, alleging that the protest was a planned political act rather than a spontaneous outburst.
The ruling party further argued that “such theatrics on an international stage only damage India’s image and undermine the very platform meant to showcase the country’s technological leadership”. BJP sources added that while political disagreements are part of democracy, “embarrassing India before the world is not”.
Earlier, BJP MP Sambit Patra alleged that the protest was planned at Rahul Gandhi’s residence in the presence of senior Congress leaders. Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan termed the act “treason” and accused the Congress of tarnishing India’s global image.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi described the conduct as “shameful”, while Kiren Rijiju said the Congress had become a “national shame”, asserting that the AI Summit was a global platform and not a political rally.
The Congress has not yet issued a detailed response to the latest allegations or the visuals cited by BJP leaders. The controversy continues to escalate, with both sides trading charges over the intent and timing of the protest at an event aimed at highlighting India’s ambitions in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
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