Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], February 21 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has termed the conduct of the Congress at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 as highly unfortunate and shameful, alleging that it was an attempt to tarnish the country's image on an international stage.
In a statement issued on Friday, Sharma said that at a time when the world is appreciating India's technological progress, innovation capabilities and bright future, the Congress's attempt to defame the nation from a prestigious global platform is condemnable.
He said that foreign delegates, investors and leading technology experts from across the world were participating in the summit and positively discussing India's growing global credibility, digital revolution and emerging leadership role in the field of artificial intelligence.
The Chief Minister alleged that this was not the first time the Congress had placed political interests above national interests. He claimed that the party had earlier spread confusion over trade agreements and raised questions over the valour of soldiers in incidents such as Galwan, prioritising political gains over national pride.
Sharma said that India's prestige is not linked to any one political party but to the collective identity of 1.4 billion citizens, and no one has the right to harm it. He demanded that Congress and its top leadership issue a public apology to the people of the country.
He added that the public would not accept what he termed as negative and opportunistic politics.
Meanwhile, several leaders from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have condemned the protest staged by Youth Congress cadre at Bharat Mandapam. Former Union Minister Smriti Irani took a swipe at the party for allegedly disrupting the AI Summit in New Delhi, remarking that when a party's ideas have been 'out of stock' for over a decade, theatrics become their final clearance sale.
"'Khisiyani Billi Khamba Noche!' It takes rare political bankruptcy to convert a global summit into a stage for embarrassing the nation before the world. The 'scion' of the grand old party seems to believe spectacle can substitute for substance. When your ideas have been out of stock for over a decade, theatrics become the final clearance sale," said Irani.
Earlier on Friday, India Youth Congress National Coordinator Narsimha was detained by Delhi Police during the protest at Bharat Mandapam.
In a statement, the Indian Youth Congress said its workers were protesting against a "compromised Prime Minister who has traded the identity of the country at the Al Summit". Police later detained the protesters.
Further, the Delhi Police initiated legal action against a cadre of the Youth Congress. Additional Commissioner of Police Devesh Mahla said the incident took place at around 12:30 pm and that the protestors had registered for the summit online.
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