Guwahati, Feb 20 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the disruption at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, alleging that the opposition party is unsettled by India’s growing global leadership in new-age technologies.
Reacting to the incident involving Youth Congress workers at the summit, Sarma said it was not the BJP but the “rise of Bharat as a global force in Artificial Intelligence” that troubles Rahul Gandhi.
In a post on X, the Chief Minister asserted that the India AI Impact Summit symbolised innovation, ambition and India’s leadership in the AI-driven century.
“When attempts to manufacture a controversy around the summit failed, the fallback was familiar - disruption, theatrics and political noise deployed through loyal proxies,” Sarma wrote, adding that such conduct reflected a recurring pattern of reflexive cynicism whenever India achieves a major global milestone.
Drawing parallels with earlier instances, Sarma said that from questioning the surgical strikes to casting doubts over the Indian Air Force’s emergency operations in the Northeast, and now politicising a global technology summit, every decisive step that strengthens India’s global standing has been met with partisan hostility.
He further posed a pointed question, asking why milestones of national progress consistently trigger political opposition, and whether politics should not pause when the nation rises on the global stage.
Sarma concluded his remarks with the hashtag #RahulShamesIndia.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026, held in the national capital, witnessed disruption after Youth Congress members created chaos at the venue, raising slogans and attempting to politicise the event.
The summit, which brought together global policymakers, technology leaders, researchers and startups to discuss India’s role in shaping the future of artificial intelligence, was briefly interrupted amid heightened security.
Organisers termed the incident unfortunate, stating that the platform was meant for dialogue on innovation and global collaboration, not political confrontation.
The incident has since triggered sharp reactions from BJP leaders, who have accused the Congress of undermining India’s international image and disrupting platforms aimed at showcasing the country’s technological progress.
--IANS
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