Prominent academics and researchers have condemned the disruptive protest by Youth Congress workers at the high-profile India AI Impact Summit 2026. Prof. Inder Singh Thakur of Himachal Pradesh Central University called it a ‘grave misstep,’ arguing in an IANS interview that protests belong at designated venues like Jantar Mantar, not amid international gatherings of tech titans and policymakers.
The event, attended by delegates from more than 100 nations, showcased India’s burgeoning AI capabilities. Kumaun University’s Vice-Chancellor Prof. Diwan Singh Rawat praised its success, pointing to AI’s transformative potential. ‘In drug discovery, what took decades now happens in years thanks to AI,’ he said, also noting boosts in creativity across sectors like digital transactions and infrastructure development.
Government support for startups has supercharged this growth, Rawat added, positioning India as a frontrunner in AI-driven progress. However, the topless demonstration marred the occasion, prompting fierce criticism from Binay Kumar Singh of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Research Foundation.
Singh labeled the act as turning a national achievement into a political circus, damaging India’s global reputation. He called on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to denounce it firmly and address such unruly behavior within his party. This episode underscores the need for responsible activism in an era where India’s tech narrative is under the world’s spotlight.