Youth Congress protest at AI Summit tarnished India’s image: Pramod Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday (February 21, 2026) criticised the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over the Youth Congress protest at the AI Summit in Delhi, saying such actions amount to “political recklessness” and tarnish the country’s image.

A group of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers on Friday (February 20, 2026) staged a dramatic ‘shirtless protest’ at an exhibition hall at the AI Impact Summit, walking around holding T-shirts with slogans against the government and the India-U.S. trade deal printed on them, before being whisked away by security personnel present at the venue.

Mr. Sawant, in a post on X, said that when India is hosting a global summit to showcase its technological capabilities and confidence, turning it into a “stage for disruption” weakens the nation’s credibility on the international platform.

“Such theatrics tarnish India’s image, distract from the work of our scientists, startups and youth, and weaken our credibility on a global platform,” he said.

He maintained that while the Opposition has every right to raise issues in a democracy, it should not do so at the cost of the nation’s dignity.

“India deserves mature politics, responsible leadership, and respect for national forums,” Mr. Sawant said, taking a swipe at the Congress leadership.