"Positivity around the AI summit got diverted": BJD MP Sasmit Patra on Galgotias University robodog row

New Delhi [India], February 19 (ANI): Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra on Thursday said that the controversy surrounding Galgotias University over a "robodog" display has marred the positivity around the India AI Impact Summit 2026, held in the national capital.
Speaking to ANI, Patra termed the incident "unfortunate" and said that such episodes divert attention from the broader achievements and constructive outcomes of the Summit, urging both the government and institutions to treat the matter as a learning experience.
"It is very unfortunate to see that a university as eminent as Galgotias making such a blunder....Unfortunately, by this one incident, the positivity around the AI summit got diverted...At this point, such incidents divert attention more to the negative than the positive. It is a learning for the govt and learning for the institutions," Patra said.
His remarks come after several Opposition leaders criticised the Union Government over the controversy surrounding Galgotias University, in which they displayed a "Chinese" robodog, and allegedly claimed it to be their own invention at the AI Summit in the national capital.
Taking to 'X', Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi replied to a post by Congress and said, "Instead of leveraging India's talent and data, the AI summit is a disorganised PR spectacle - Indian data up for sale, Chinese products showcased."
Additionally, Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday attacked the government over the controversy, saying the event was supposed to be a platform for innovation and exchange of ideas, but "BJP reduced it to a cheap China Bazaar".
In a post on X, Khera also slammed Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw, saying that he has proved that in India, AI means "Ashwini is Incompetent."
Furthermore, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) alleged possible links between the university's owner and Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, suggesting that an investigation would uncover connections and potential collusion and called for treason charges to be filed against the University.
However, the University defended itself. Galgotias University Registrar Nitin Kumar Gaur on Wednesday issued a press release on behalf of the University and apologised for the confusion created at the Al Summit.
Speaking to ANI, Gaur explained that the confusion stemmed from the use of the words "develop" and "development."
He clarified that the university did not develop the robot but had worked on its development for academic and research purposes.
"This is a jumble of two words, develop and development. We didn't develop it. We worked on its development... We want to bring them, just like that robot was brought, and an effort was made to get students to do research on it," Gaur said. (ANI)