Shinde condemns Congress protest at AI summit, blames Rahul Gandhi

Shinde Slams 'Condemnable' Congress Protest

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde on Saturday strongly criticised the Congress over its protest during the AI Summit, terming the act condemnable and harmful to the country's global image. While speaking to reporters in his native village in Satara district, Shinde said, "People from across the world had gathered for the AI Summit. The semi-nude protest carried out there by Congress workers is highly condemnable. No amount of criticism is enough for such an act. Whenever Rahul Gandhi travels within the country or abroad, he seems to take pleasure in defaming the nation and disrespecting the honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi."

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Blames Rahul Gandhi's Influence

He hit out at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, blaming him for the IYC protest. "In reality, what Rahul Gandhi says is what his followers repeat -- and that is exactly what his supporters did at Bharat Mandapam. The animosity they hold in their minds towards the Prime Minister and the country keeps surfacing time and again. However, the people of this country will never tolerate this. Therefore, as a representative of the Shiv Sena party, I strongly condemn this incident," he said.

Praises PM Modi, Contrasts with Congress 'Frustration'

Further, Shinde praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India's economic growth and rising global stature. "The Prime Minister is undertaking work that makes the nation proud. Under his leadership, India's economy has moved from the 11th position to the fourth largest in the world, and we are progressing towards becoming the third largest. Perhaps this progress is what is causing frustration among Congress leaders," he said.

Cites Past Instances of 'Anti-National Conduct'

Referring to past developments, Shinde added, "Similarly, during Operation Sindoor, Congress leaders made remarks questioning how far strikes were carried out and how many aircraft were downed, instead of focusing on the concerns of ordinary citizens. Whether one calls it patriotism or anti-national behaviour, in reality, this amounts to a form of anti-national conduct."

"Protesting in a semi-nude manner and behaving in such a way looked inappropriate and caused considerable embarrassment to the country in front of the global community," the Deputy CM added.

Details of the IYC Protest

Cadres of the Indian Youth Congress on Friday staged a 'shirtless' protest stunt against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, criticising the AI Impact Summit and accusing the PM of being "compromised" over the India-US trade deal framework.

Arrested Workers Denied Bail

The Patiala House Court rejected the bail applications of all four arrested Indian Youth Congress workers and sent the accused to police custody for five days.

Other BJP-Congress Clashes Reported

Bhopal Police today booked seven BJP workers at the Habibganj Police Station over a clash involving stone-pelting and physical assault between the BJP and Congress members at the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC). Indore in Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry and Prakasam in Andhra Pradesh also witnessed a tense atmosphere amid confrontation between the party workers.