Top Academicians Condemn Youth Congress Protest at AI Summit, Call It “Profoundly Regrettable and Ill-Conceived”

New Delhi | 23 Feb 2026 As many as 160 leading academicians across India have strongly criticised the protest staged by the youth wing of the Congress party during the AI Impact Summit held in New Delhi last week. In a joint statement, they described the act as “profoundly regrettable and ill-conceived”, saying it showed a failure to respect the importance of a global platform where India was presenting its technological strength to the world. The academicians said the protest, “associated with Rahul Gandhi”, created an “unfortunate impression” at a crucial moment when global investors and technology leaders were closely assessing India’s credibility as a long-term partner in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies. They stressed that, “As a Member of Parliament, there exists a constitutional responsibility to distinguish between constructive democratic critique and actions that may inadvertently weaken India's international standing.” The statement was signed by several prominent figures, including JNU vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, IIT Roorkee director Kamal Kishore Pant, and directors and vice-chancellors from multiple IITs and universities. Referring to the incident, they recalled that a group of Indian Youth Congress workers staged a shirtless protest inside the exhibition hall at Bharat Mandapam, displaying slogans against the government and the India–US trade deal, before being removed by security personnel. Delhi Police has so far arrested five workers in connection with the protest. Highlighting the larger significance of the summit, the academicians said the AI Impact Summit was a defining moment for India, marking its rise as a serious technological power in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. “The recent protest by the Indian Youth Congress at the India AI Impact Summit is profoundly regrettable and ill-conceived. This was neither a partisan platform nor a venue for domestic political propaganda,” they said, adding that turning such a forum into a political demonstration reflected “a serious lack of judgment”. They also warned that such actions gain greater scrutiny when “adversarial countries such as China and Pakistan” attempt to question or downplay India’s global initiatives. The statement underlined that India’s AI growth is the result of collective efforts by scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, institutions and policymakers, and that the summit clearly showcased this progress. Citing the scale of the event, the academicians noted that 644 AI technologies were displayed, 41 global technology CEOs attended in person, and 326 exhibitors from 37 countries participated. Nearly five lakh visitors attended the summit, which also led to investment commitments worth USD 250 billion. The unveiling of three indigenous Large Language Models, they said, proved that “India is not merely consuming technology, it is architecting it.” Concluding the statement, the academicians said that at a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping global power structures, the summit demonstrated India’s resolve and capability. They added that global participation and investment commitments showed international confidence, and that the AI Impact Summit would be remembered as a key milestone in India’s technological journey and global standing. Top Academicians Condemn Youth Congress Protest at AI Summit, Call It “Profoundly Regrettable and Ill-Conceived” As many as 160 senior academicians have strongly criticised the Youth Congress protest held during the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, calling it “profoundly regrettable and ill-conceived”. They said the protest showed poor judgment and failed to respect the importance of an international platform where India was presenting its technological strength to the world. In a joint statement, the academicians said the protest, “associated with Rahul Gandhi”, sent an “unfortunate impression” at a time when global investors and technology leaders were closely watching India’s role in artificial intelligence and future technologies. They stressed that public representatives have a duty to separate healthy democratic criticism from actions that can harm the country’s image abroad. The scholars also pointed out that the AI Impact Summit was not a political stage but a global forum. Turning such an event into a protest, they said, showed an inability to balance political expression with the need to protect national prestige, especially when countries like China and Pakistan were questioning the summit’s importance. Highlighting the scale of the event, the academicians said the summit proved that India is moving forward with confidence in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. With massive participation, new technologies on display, and major investment commitments, they said the summit will be remembered as a key moment in India’s journey as a serious global technology power.