Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday criticised the Youth Congress protest held at Bharat Mandapam during the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, calling it an “uncivil behaviour”.
In a post on X, Shinde alleged that while India was showcasing its technological strength to the world, Youth Congress members created a disturbance that, according to him, harmed the country’s global image.
Shinde described the protest as “uncivil behaviour” and said it was not an act of patriotism but an attempt to defame the nation at an international platform.
He stated that the Congress and its leaders should apologise to the people of India for the incident. He further said that if the party opposed the India–United States agreement, it should have presented its objections in a democratic and ideological manner rather than disrupting a global event.
Targeting Congress leadership
The Deputy Chief Minister also criticised senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that Congress leaders often speak negatively about India abroad. He remarked that such actions set a poor example for party workers.
Shinde added that raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in front of foreign guests during an international summit reflected poorly on the country.
The incident has triggered a fresh political confrontation between the ruling alliance and the Congress.
इंडिया एआई इम्पैक्ट समिट के माध्यम से जब दुनिया के सामने भारत का तकनीकी वैभव प्रस्तुत किया जा रहा था, उसी समय भारत मंडपम में युथ काँग्रेस की चड्डी-बनियान गैंग ने असभ्य उपद्रव मचाकर भारत की वैश्विक स्तर पर बदनामी करने का प्रयास किया। काँग्रेस की इस वृत्ति की मैं तीव्र शब्दों में…
— Eknath Shinde – एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) February 21, 2026
BJP stages protest as Rahul Gandhi arrives in Mumbai
Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, arrived in Mumbai during the early hours of Saturday.
Upon his arrival, BJP workers staged a black-flag protest, calling it a response to the Youth Congress`s protest at the AI Summit.
Gandhi landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in the morning and travelled by road to Bhiwandi in neighbouring Thane district to appear before a court in the 2014 defamation case.
While Rahul was on his way to Bhiwandi from Mumbai, a group of BJP supporters staged a protest at Mulund toll naka and raised slogans against him.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, the protesters alleged that Rahul Gandhi consistently opposes the initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused him of tarnishing the country`s image.
Furthermore, the police had made elaborate security arrangements for Rahul Gandhi`s visit to prevent any confrontation between workers of the ruling and opposition parties.
