New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a scathing attack on the Congress party for orchestrating a theatrical protest at the five-day AI Impact Summit by its youth wing members, and demanded that the party issue an apology to the nation for its “deplorable and despicable” behaviour.

The BJP took strong exception to “disruptive tactics” by the Congress workers and said that opposing a policy or event could be a democratic right, but this was a deliberate attempt to sabotage India’s image globally.

Pointing direct fingers at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for ‘unleashing’ the topless Congress workers at the venue, it said that the planned ruckus was clearly designed to embarrass India on the world stage.

“At a time when India is hosting a prestigious global AI Summit, showcasing its innovation and leadership in technology, the Congress party chose disruption over dignity,” it further said.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala equated the shirtless protest outside the Bharat Mandapam as an “anti-India” act, accusing the Congress of unleashing goons against the nation.

“These are shirtless protests against the BJP but brainless goons against India. For Congress, AI means Anti India,” he said.

Another BJP spokesperson, Pradeep Bhandari, also blamed Rahul Gandhi, who recently termed the AI Impact Summit a “disorganised PR spectacle” and said that it was on his instructions that the youth Congress workers stormed the venue, being attended by foreign delegates, tech gurus and many heads of nations.

“Congress needs to apologise to the nation! Congress behaves like Urban Naxals,” he said.

Meanwhile, the group of Indian Youth Congress workers who barged into the Bharat Mandapam with provocative banners and shouted slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi were rounded up and taken to the police station.

Police said that legal action is being taken against them for trespassing into the complex and putting the ‘security of foreign delegates at risk’.

In a statement, the INC youth wing admitted that its workers demonstrated outside the venue and it was to register a protest over the government “prioritising corporate interests over national interests.”

–IANS

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