BJP Protests Across India Against Youth Congress Protest at AI Summit

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held nationwide protests against the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers who disrupted the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi, leading to four arrests. BJP leaders condemned the IYC protest as anti-national and an attempt to tarnish India's international image.

Key points

• IYC workers protested against the India-US Trade Deal during the AI Summit, displaying T-shirts with slogans like 'PM Is Compromised' and chanting anti-Prime Minister slogans.
• Four IYC workers, including Krishna Hari and Kundan Yadav, were arrested, and an FIR was filed under serious sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
• BJP protests occurred in Delhi outside the Congress headquarters, in Mumbai where Rahul Gandhi's convoy was shown black flags, and in Surat where a Congress effigy was burned.
• BJP leaders like Virendra Sachdeva and Manoj Tiwari accused Rahul Gandhi and Congress of anti-national acts and damaging the nation's reputation.
• Delhi Police stated the protestors gained entry via online registration using QR codes, having initially planned to use black umbrellas with stickers.

Why it matters

The incident highlights the intense political rivalry between the BJP and Congress, escalating from a disruption at a high-profile international event to widespread counter-protests across major Indian cities.