"Humiliating India on global stage": Piyush Goyal demands apology from Rahul Gandhi over Youth Congress' protest at AI summit

New Delhi [India], February 20 (ANI): Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday condemned the 'shirtless' protest organised by the youth wing of Congress at Bharat Mandapam during an AI Impact Summit 2026, accusing the opposition party of being "anti-India face" and being "bereft of any positive programme or nation-building ideas".
He demanded an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said that the opposition party should apologise to 140 crore Indians for the "shameless act".
"I condemn the Congress party's arrogance. It clearly reflects their jealousy, envy, and disappointment that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is emerging as the most popular leader not only in India but across the world. It clearly shows that the Congress party is bereft of any positive programme or nation-building ideas," Goyal told reporters here.
His remarks come after a group of Indian Youth Congress members staged a protest at the Bharat Mandapam, venue of the AI Impact India Summit, in the national capital by removing their shirts that had slogans which read "Compromised PM".
Slamming Rahul Gandhi for the protest, the Union Minister added that the Congress was "humiliating India on the global stage".
"The Congress party is humiliating India on the global stage, and I squarely hold Rahul Gandhi responsible for the shameful behaviour of the Congress workers at the AI summit, which was such a grand success that the world is talking about," he added.
Goyal said that the protest at the summit showed that the Congress was "against India's progress" and the "growing stature of India across the globe".
"This clearly reflects the anti-India spirit of the Congress. It clearly shows that the Congress is against India's progress and is against the growing stature of India across the globe. The Congress and Rahul Gandhi should apologise to 140 crore Indians for this shameless act and should reflect won hether their attitude towards the country, whether their ideas about India are good for them. The people of India are watching," the Union Minister added.
"The people of India will never forgive the Congress Party, and I am sure that in the days to come, the Congress Party will be given a befitting reply by the people of India. India is on the move," Goyal said.
Meanwhile, the Indian Youth Congress today raised its voice at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, and protested against the Prime Minister, who has "compromised the nation's identity", a party release said.
Addressing the issue at the AI Summit, Indian Youth Congress National President Uday Bhanu Chib said that the youth of the country "will no longer remain silent".
"The Indian Youth Congress made it clear that the youth of the country will no longer remain silent. 'PM is compromised' is not just a slogan, but the anger of millions of unemployed youth. This trade deal with the US is a betrayal of the interests of our farmers and the public, which will only benefit the US. Peaceful protest is our right in a democracy, and we will continue to raise the voice of the youth," Chib said.
IYC National President clarified that the party was "not against the AI Summit" but firmly opposed "any compromise with India's interests."
"We are against any compromise with India's interests. When the country's farmers are being compromised, anti-India trade agreements are being signed, and youth are being pushed into hate politics while keeping them unemployed, should we remain silent? This country belongs to 1.4 billion citizens," he added.
Earlier, the Delhi Police initiated legal action against a cadre of the Youth Congress who were protesting 'shirtless'. Additional Commissioner of Police Devesh Mahla said the incident took place at around 12:30 pm and that the protestors had registered for the summit online. (ANI)