Under Rahul’s influence, Congress’ did a ‘ghor paap’, says Rijiju

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the Congress, accusing the party of having committed a “ghor paap” (grave sin) by deploying its youth wing workers to protest at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. Amid BJP-led protests and Congress counter-protests across the country, Rijiju claimed that members of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) staged the protest under the influence of senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “anti-India” views.

Describing the brief shirtless protest as “nanga naach”, Rijiju said it caused a “national uproar.” “This is not a mistake; it is a ghor paap (grave sin). Congress has committed a very big crime against the nation,” he said, adding that justifying it as “youth angst” was even more shameful.

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“It is justified in a democracy to criticise the government within dignified norms. But how can you stage a protest against the nation?” he questioned.

He also attributed the incident to the party’s “frustration” over its inability to win public trust or successive elections. Rijiju said while “the entire country” was condemning the protest, Congress leaders remained unapologetic. He also claimed that in private conversations he had urged senior Congress leaders to “make Rahul understand his errors,” but “no one could.” “His age is not less. Is he too naive when it comes to his thoughts and views? Or does he not have the potential to understand? No Congress leader is ready to make Rahul Gandhi understand anything,” he said.

Accusing Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, of seeking to “instigate” and “balance equations with anti-India forces” during foreign visits, Rijiju alleged that he had sought “intervention in India’s internal matters” and made “attacks on India’s sovereignty.”

Stressing that there should be no politics in matters of national interest, Rijiju said political leaders represent the nation globally and must rise above ideological differences. “Every day, his anti-India voice and actions are getting stronger. BJP was in the opposition for 60 years, yet we never uttered a word or took an action against the nation. Modi ji always guides us that whatever we do must not harm the nation,” he added.

On Friday, a group of IYC workers staged a brief shirtless protest inside an exhibition hall at Bharat Mandapam—the venue of the AI Impact Summit—raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi before being removed by security personnel.