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Launching a blistering attack on the Congress over its "shirtless" protest at the recently concluded AI Summit in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the party of turning a gobal event into an arena for "dirty and shameless politics," as its conduct "brought embarrassment" to the country before foreign dignitaries.
Addressing a public gathering after inaugurating the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail and the Meerut Metro route, PM Modi said, "Congress turned India's global event into an arena for its dirty and shameless politics. At the venue, in front of foreign guests, Congress leaders arrived stripping off their clothes. I ask the Congress people-- everyone already knows you are politically naked, then what was the need to remove your clothes? What Congress leaders did there shows how ideologically bankrupt and impoverished the country's oldest party has become." He said the AI Impact Summit was not a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) event, but a matter of national pride and the entire country condemned Congress's conduct. "Congress leaders hate Modi. They want to dig my grave, they have no hesitation in insulting my mother, they oppose the BJP, and they oppose the NDA. Fine, if that is necessary for their politics, we can understand and tolerate it. But Congress should have remembered that the AI Global Summit was not a BJP event, nor was any BJP leader present there. It was a national event, a matter of national pride, built on the sweat of the people. Yet Congress broke all boundaries of decency," PM Modi added. "The entire country is condemning Congress's conduct. But unfortunately, instead of feeling ashamed, the leaders of such an old party are shamelessly cheering those who insulted the nation," he added. In a stinging rebuke against the Congress protest, PM Modi also accused sections of the national media of "shielding the Congress" and appealed to the national media to "report accurately." "When we criticise such actions, please don't make headlines like 'Modi slammed the opposition.' Stop these tricks to protect Congress. By calling it 'the opposition,' you save Congress, while other opposition parties suffer. Congress commits the sin, but others pay the price...Why are you protecting Congress?" he stated. He asserted that allies of the Congress had distanced themselves following the incident. "Congress has become a burden on the nation. I publicly thank these opposition allies for standing with the truth and with the pride of the nation." The Prime Minister contrasted the "poisonous politics" of Congress and other parties with the BJP's development-focused governance. Citing infrastructure growth. "Before 2014, metro services reached only 5 cities. But today, metro trains are running in more than 25 cities across the country. India has now become the third-largest metro network in the world," he added. In Meerut, PM Modi inaugurated both the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail and the Metro service from the same platform, calling it a first-of-its-kind initiative. "For the first time in the country, Namo Bharat and Metro Rail will run on the same station, the same track. From one platform, you can travel within the city, and from the same station, you can go directly to Delhi," he said. Earlier today, PM Modi inaugurated India's first Namo Bharat RRTS and dedicates Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor to the nation. Highlighting the integration at Sarai Kale Khan, Anand Vihar, Ghaziabad and Meerut, he said the project would benefit thousands commuting daily to Delhi and reduce the need for rented accommodation in the national capital. PM Modi said massive investments in expressways, freight corridors and the upcoming Jewar International Airport were generating jobs and attracting industries. He also referred to the foundation stone of Uttar Pradesh's first semiconductor factory and said, "When UP develops, only then will India develop." Referring again to the AI Summit, the Prime Minister said it was the "world's largest AI conference," attended by representatives from over 80 countries and nearly 20 heads of state. "The whole country was filled with pride. But what did Congress and its ecosystem do?" he asked. Emphasising improved law and order in Uttar Pradesh under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he said the state had moved from an era of riots and crime to becoming a hub for BrahMos production, mobile manufacturing, airports and tourism. "Today, the world believes India is the force that can provide solutions to the challenges of the 21st century," PM Modi said, adding that developed countries were eager to sign trade agreements with India due to confidence in its youth power and governance. The Prime Minister also travelled on the Meerut Metro and interacted with students and passengers, noting that the project reflected 'Nari Shakti' as many train operators and station staff were women. He later congratulated the people of Uttar Pradesh on the launch of the services and said the BJP's double-engine government would continue working to make the state the country's largest economy. Furthermore, hitting back at PM Modi over his remarks on the 'topless' Indian Youth Congress protest during the AI Summit, Congress MP Imran Masood said the Prime Minister targets only his own people and lacks the courage to criticise US President Donald Trump. He said, "PM can attack only his own people. He doesn't have the courage to attack Trump. I don't see anyone except Rahul Gandhi who can face these people strongly. They (INDIA alliance partners) go weak. Only Rahul Gandhi can face them." (ANI)
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