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Prominent personalities including former high court judges, retired bureaucrats, former ambassadors and retired senior armed forces officers have strongly condemned the "shirtless" protest by Indian Youth Congress workers in Bharat Mandapam during the AI Impact Summit, terming it "grotesque betrayal of national dignity", "scripted tantrum" and "pathetic display of brainless politics".
A joint statement, signed by 277 signatories including 26 former judges, 102 retired bureaucrats including former ambassadors and 149 former senior armed forces and police officers, said they, as concerned citizens of India, "are shocked beyond belief." "The recent unpardonable spectacle at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, where members of the Indian Youth Congress staged a 'shirtless' protest within the corridors of Bharat Mandapam, is a grotesque betrayal of national dignity," the statement said. "At a time when the world's most influential tech leaders, global CEOs, and international delegates gathered to witness India's ascent as a primary architect of the future, this scripted tantrum served only to defame the country on the global stage," it added. The signatories said that by choosing a high-level diplomatic and technological forum to execute a crude, exhibitionist stunt, the protestors proved "that their brand of politics prioritises personal optics over the prestige of the Republic". "It is even more disgusting because this was not a spontaneous expression of dissent, but it was a premeditated act of sabotage. Entering a secure, international venue under the guise of legitimate participants using QR codes, only to strip and engage in vulgar sloganeering, is a breach of both security and basic decorum," the statement said. "Such behaviour is not 'activism'--it is an 'anti-national disruption' designed to signal instability to global investors and partners," it added. The signatories said that for any political entity to use an international summit as a backdrop for a "topless" ruckus is to tell the world that India is a land of chaos rather than a sophisticated global power. "It mocks the hard work of our scientists, the aspirations of our engineers, and the hospitality of 1.4 billion citizens who take pride in hosting the world," it said. The signatories said that democratic protest is a sacred right, but "it is not a license for anarchy or the public humiliation of the nation". True political opposition challenges policy through intellectual rigour and parliamentary debate, the signatories said, adding that it does not resort to stripping in front of foreign dignitaries to garner social media traction. "This stunt has provided our adversaries with the very footage they need to undermine India's success story. The 'shirtless' stunt was a pathetic display of 'brainless' politics that insults the intelligence of the Indian youth it claims to represent." The signatories strongly condemned "this attempt to hijack a national milestone for partisan theatre of absurdity." "Politics must stop at the patriotic edge, and international forums must remain off-limits for the undignified internal squabbles of any political party. Such actions did not hurt a government; they hurt a nation. We call for a collective rejection of any political culture that finds pride in the public defamation of the Motherland," the statement said. Meanwhile, a Delhi Court today granted four days' police custody of IYC President Uday Bhanu Chib in connection with the protest case. According to officials, Chib is accused of being the main conspirator and mastermind behind the incident of unlawful assembly on February 20, 2026, at the venue and was reportedly involved in raising anti-national slogans and attempting to incite a riot-like situation. Chib was arrested under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including section 196 for promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, or language, which is a non-bailable offence. The Global AI Impact Summit 2026, held in New Delhi, was the first to be hosted in the Global South, and brought together policymakers, industry leaders, academics and civil society representatives to deliberate on responsible AI governance and inclusive technological advancement. The Summit witnessed unprecedented international participation, reaffirming India's growing leadership in shaping the global Artificial Intelligence discourse. (ANI)
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