‘Insult To The Nation’: Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant Targets Congress Over Protest At AI Impact Summit 2026

Pimpri-Chinchwad: Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant has launched a scathing attack on the Indian National Congress after Congress workers allegedly removed their clothes and protested at the India AI Impact Summit. Speaking to reporters on Saturday in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Samant said that the Congress party’s clothes are already stripped.

Uday Samant told the media, "The Congress is working with the sole intention of insulting the nation. This was evident when Congress workers removed their T-shirts and protested at the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi. There is no need for Congress workers to strip; the voters have already ripped their clothes off.”

He added that the Congress party consistently defames the country, and its actions demonstrate exactly why a 'Congress-free India' is necessary.

At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, around 10 Youth Congress workers entered the venue and staged a “shirtless” protest on Friday. They waved T-shirts and chanted slogans against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the India-US trade deal. Several were detained by security, sparking criticism and political backlash.

Minister Samant said, "The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is working to diminish the country’s honour at every turn. The Congress leadership is mocking and belittling the nation on a global stage. Their leadership is immature. Whether giving interviews or speeches abroad, Rahul Gandhi has consistently defamed the country."

Uday Samant added, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken the country's image to great heights globally. Despite this, Gandhi continues to defame the nation. At a time when the world's attention was on the AI Impact Summit, Congress’s protest was an insult to the country, not just an individual. Gandhi could have voiced his position in the Lok Sabha. Instead, he insulted the nation by sending rowdy youths to strip their clothes."

He noted that many international leaders were present at the summit and that Congress should have been mindful of this. "The Congress must apologise to the nation. Every citizen should condemn this. The Congress leadership cares nothing for the country, its leaders, or its workers. This is why the party is in its current state. The opposition should offer suggestions, not strip away their own dignity and the nation's dignity," Samant said.

He concluded by announcing that Shiv Sena will hold statewide protests to expose this face of the Congress party.