(Image source from: Dailypioneer.com)
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly criticized Congress, calling it "India's oldest party" that attempted to tarnish India's reputation at the AI Impact Summit, which wrapped up on February 21. He described the Youth Congress's shirtless protest at the AI summit as a "nasty" tactic, stating that they chose this method during a time when India is leading discussions about artificial intelligence. "The AI summit was something for all our nation to be proud of, yet the country’s oldest party tried to transform a national celebration into a show. In front of international guests, Congress not only revealed its true self but also showed its lack of ideas," Modi said during the News18 Rising Bharat Summit. He also criticized Congress's tendency to protest, noting that when people feel frustrated and disappointed and allow arrogance to take over, they end up thinking in ways that discredit the nation. However, he emphasized that his administration will continue its work regardless of the situation.
"We will keep doing our work, no matter how many shirtless protests Congress holds," he stated. Reflecting on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s mention of Mahatma Gandhi regarding the shirtless protest, he remarked that the long-established party often invokes Bapu’s name to "conceal its faults. " "There is dissatisfaction in the country regarding this action by Congress. Therefore, to defend their wrongdoing, they brought Mahatma Gandhi into the conversation. This party repeatedly uses Bapu’s name whenever it wants to cover its errors and gives all the credit to a single family (Nehru-Gandhi family) when it seeks recognition," he said. He pointed out Congress's opposition to Article 370, triple talaq, Swachh Bharat, vaccinations, surgical strikes, and Ashoka stambh, explaining that Congress has now diminished to just a "toolkit" of the opposition cloaked in the guise of ideology.
"Congress opposed the Ashoka stambh in Parliament, rejected the new Parliament building, opposed surgical strikes, air strikes, and 'Operation Sindoor. ' They opposed the CAA, the women’s reservation Bill, and UPI, as well as the end of triple talaq. This blind resistance mindset has grown to a level that they never miss a chance to undermine the country at any stage or setting," he said. However, using the AI summit as an example, Modi noted that any event held by India now sparks global dialogue, which was not the case in the past. He explained that until a few years back, events taking place in India hardly got serious attention from international media. Programs and initiatives led in India were often perceived as local issues, not global ones, he added.
"However, observe the current scenario. When India makes a move, the entire world pays attention. When India organizes an event, it becomes a topic of global discussion. Each significant action taken here undergoes international scrutiny. For instance, consider the AI summit. With Narendra Modi at the helm, India is not merely joining in on global technology talks — it is actively influencing them. The international community is keenly watching India’s efforts in areas like artificial intelligence, digital governance, and new technologies," he stated. He further mentioned that this change signifies India's growing importance on the world stage and now, India is not only participating in conversations — it is playing a leading role in them.
