Mallikarjun Kharge slams Centre over ‘chaos and mismanagement’ at AI Summit, calls it national embarrassment

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday launched a vehement critique of the Centre’s handling of a recent AI Summit, describing it as “utter chaos and rank mismanagement” and accusing the government of turning what should have been a global showcase into a national embarrassment.

In a post on X, Kharge lamented that the event, which had the potential to highlight India’s digital and AI prowess to the world, instead descended into disorder and caused distress among participants.

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He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he “gatecrashed” the first day for a photo opportunity and calling the government “PR-hungry.”

Kharge listed several alleged shortcomings, including exhibitors being denied basic amenities such as food and water, theft of products, failure of the Digi Yatra system, restrictions on laptops and electronic devices, cash-only transactions despite the availability of digital payments, and exorbitant fees being charged without adequate facilities.

Terming the situation “extremely unfortunate,” Kharge said the country suffered a “global embarrassment” due to government incompetence.

His remarks also highlighted severe restrictions and technical failures faced by attendees, particularly problems with the government-backed Digi Yatra facial recognition system designed to facilitate smoother airport entry.

The criticism comes amid the Centre’s efforts to project India as a global leader in AI, digital innovation, and startup growth, highlighting initiatives such as Digital India and the expansion of UPI-based payments.

Kharge questioned the gap between official claims and on-ground execution, suggesting that the alleged mismanagement had tarnished India’s image in the AI sector.

He urged the government to take lessons from the Bengaluru Tech Summit, which is known for the smooth organisation of large-scale technology events.

The AI Summit was aimed at bringing together founders, global investors, policymakers, and technology leaders to showcase India’s advances in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure.