A political controversy erupted at Bharat Mandapam on Friday after members of the Indian Youth Congress staged an unusual protest inside the venue hosting the India AI Impact Summit, briefly halting proceedings and drawing sharp reactions from security agencies and political leaders. Several youth leaders entered the hall during ongoing sessions, removed their shirts in protest and raised slogans questioning the government’s handling of the international technology event, an act that was captured on video and rapidly circulated across social media platforms.

In a statement issued later, the Indian Youth Congress accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of undermining national interests at the summit, alleging that the event compromised India’s identity on the global stage. The organisation said the demonstration was meant to register strong opposition to what it described as the government’s approach to artificial intelligence and data governance. The Delhi Police detained the protesters soon after the disruption and confirmed that legal proceedings are being initiated for breaching security and disturbing a high-profile programme.

The protest shifted focus away from discussions on emerging technologies and innovation, turning the summit into a political flashpoint. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi criticised the event, calling it poorly planned and accusing the government of prioritising publicity over substance, while raising concerns about the handling of Indian data. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also weighed in, alleging administrative mismanagement and claiming that an opportunity to showcase India’s technological leadership had instead descended into disorder.