Bengaluru, Feb 24 (NationPress) In the wake of the arrests following the Youth Congress' shirtless demonstration in New Delhi during the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Minister Priyank Kharge criticized the central government on Tuesday. He claimed that the government's failure to successfully conduct an international event has been laid bare, and as a result, it is now targeting those who participated in the protest.

These comments were made after Delhi Police detained Indian Youth Congress (IYC) National President Uday Bhanu Chib in relation to the shirtless protest, which took place at Bharat Mandapam on the concluding day of the India AI Impact Summit.

While addressing the media, Priyank Kharge stated, "There may be concerns regarding the manner of the protest, but protesting itself is not against the law. They could have approached it differently or articulated their message more effectively, yet this is similar to the protests organized by the BJP."

He continued, "In Karnataka, don’t they frequently protest with black flags during the Chief Minister's events? When Rahul Gandhi visited Karnataka previously, didn’t they display black flags at that occasion? BJP representatives were present then. The truth is, your inability to manage an international event has been exposed, leading to the victimization of these individuals."

Kharge also referred to past protests, saying, "Remember, Nitin Gadkari protested during the Commonwealth Games. What was the outcome? This is merely an attempt to shift focus. The BJP is utilizing distraction tactics, showcasing their failure to convey to the world that India can lead in the technology sector. The India AI Summit was thoroughly mishandled."

He encouraged the public to pay attention to the opinions of those involved in the event. "Put aside the Congress narrative, and consider the perspectives of the international delegates, participants, and exhibitors," he advised.

Kharge also responded to reports regarding 38 Congress MLAs from Karnataka who have reached out to the party’s High Command. He stated, "There’s nothing inappropriate about having aspirations or ambitions. It’s an individual right. However, the way you express those aspirations is crucial. I, too, was fortunate to be inducted during the latter part of my first term. Naturally, this type of correspondence is not encouraged. If you have aspirations, you can collectively approach the AICC High Command or the Congress President, who hails from Karnataka. It’s acceptable to be ambitious."