New Delhi, Feb 21 (AHN) Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday criticised the Congress over the shirtless protest by its workers at the AI summit, saying he had expected the party to apologise for the incident.

Kiren Rijiju took to his social media 'X' and said, "I was expecting that Congress party would apologize for the shameful behaviour of Youth Congress activists. I couldn’t believe my ears when Congress leaders defended the disgraceful conduct! Public taught them a lesson! Some Journalists justified too."

Members of the Indian Youth Congress staged a dramatic protest inside Bharat Mandapam on Friday during the India AI Impact Summit 2026, raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government over alleged "unemployment, inflation and the reported India-US trade deal".

According to officials, several Youth Congress workers removed their shirts and shouted slogans, including “PM is compromised”, before security personnel intervened. The protesters were swiftly detained and taken away from the venue to prevent disruption of the high-profile international event attended by government officials, industry leaders and foreign delegates.

Shouting slogans, some of the party workers went topless and stood in front of an India AI Summit board, clicking pictures and attempting to create a ruckus.

The security personnel deployed there quickly acted and forced them out.

It was not known how the workers gained entry into the venue where thousands of people, including foreigners, were present.

The Youth Congress shared videos of their protest on their handle.

BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Friday accused the Congress of bringing shame to all Indians, saying the party’s “anarchic policies” would lead to its downfall.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also condemned the shirtless protest by a group of Indian Youth Congress people against the central government and the Indo-US trade deal, terming it highly disgraceful and deplorable.

The Congress on Friday defended a shirtless protest by members from its frontal organization for youth at the AI ​​Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi, calling it their expression of anger against the Union government over a reported trade deal with the United States.