Shirtless Congressi banners ft Gandhi come up amid protests in Delhi, Chandigarh

A day after a shirtless march by the Congress during the AI Summit in Delhi fuelled a huge controversy, the Indian Youth Congress held coordinated protests in the national capital and Chandigarh, while clashes were reported between the leaders and BJP workers in Madhya Pradesh's Indore. Posters featuring Mahatma Gandhi with the caption 'Shirtless Congressi' also came up across Delhi and near the Congress office as the party escalated its protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the US-India trade deal. Separately, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the student wing of the BJP, held counterprotests in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

The chaos came a day after shirtless Youth Congress members barged into a hall at the AI summit, a global event that was attended by foreign leaders and top tech CEOs, at Bharat Mandapam in the heart of Delhi. The dramatic protest was against the US trade deal, which Congress alleged sacrificed the rights of farmers.

On Saturday, four accused were sent to 5-day custody, with police claiming that they were inspired by the violent Gen Z protests in Nepal that toppled the KP Sharma Oli government.

CHAOS IN CHANDIGARH, INDORE

However, the Youth Congress was not done as it stepped up protests against PM Modi in Delhi and in Chandigarh. Chanting "PM is compromised" slogans, an allegation made first by Rahul Gandhi in Parliament, Youth Congress workers briefly clashed with security personnel. The police used water cannons to disperse the protesters.

Around 1,000 km away in Indore, Youth Congress workers clashed with the BJP Yuva Morcha while it was holding a similar protest. The situation turned volatile as the groups pelted stones and engaged in fisticuffs. Additional forces were later deployed to bring the situation under control.

The Youth Congress, in a post on X, alleged that BJP goons attacked the Congress office in Indore under police protection and resorted to stone-pelting. It also claimed that its district president, Vipin Wankhede, suffered injuries.

BJP HOLDS COUNTERPROTESTS

On the other hand, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leaders held separate protests across several states against the Congress's 'shirtless' stir. Black flags were shown to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Mumbai as he appeared before a court in connection with a 2014 defamation case.

In Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad, BJYM workers burnt Rahul's effigy and shouted slogans against the Leader of the Opposition. Senior leader Satish Diwakar said the activities of the Youth Congress at the AI Summit tarnished the country's image on the global stage.

Meanwhile, in Delhi, the BJP also staged protests near the Congress's Akbar Road office.

CONGRESS COMES UNDER FIRE FROM BJP, AKHILESH

On the other hand, the Congress came under fire on social media from NDA parties as well as its allies.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said any kind of protest that humiliates India in front of foreign delegates and other countries should be avoided.

BSP supremo Mayawati said the manner of the protest by the Congress at the AI event was "utterly disgraceful" and "reprehensible".

Union Minister Giriraj Singh said the Congress, under Rahul Gandhi, was acting like a traitor and demanded an apology from the Raebareli MP.

"Under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, Congress has become a party that has started opposing the country and acting like a traitor. The manner in which they behaved at the AI Summit was an insult to India," Singh said.

Andhra Pradesh minister Nara Lokesh said turning the international event into a political spectacle would only only diminish India's standing before the world.

- Ends