Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, on Saturday, described the "shirtless" protest by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) at AI Summit in New Delhi as a "crime" and "sin" against the nation and not an innocuous "mistake" by young men. He accused the Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Congress of looking for opportunities to defaming the country and encouraging the IYC to indulge in the shameful protest.
Addressing a press conference, Union Minister Rijiju said the nation was expecting an apology from the Congress a day after the commotion at the AI Summit but their leaders attempted to justify the "shirtless" protest as a manifestation of the youth's anger.
"There is nothing more shameful than channelising the youth's anger to tarnish the nation's image at a global stage," the Union Minister said, calling upon the Congress to give up its anti-national agenda at the earliest. "Any endeavour of national interest should remain above petty politics.
When the country is represented at global fora, including the UN, the nation stands as one entity," he added. Targeting the Congress and Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister Rijiju said the country's progress, especially in the digital domain, is never appreciated by them.
"They (Congress) become sad on seeing the nation progress. Rahul Gandhi goes to Europe and South America to defame the country," he added. "Rahul Gandhi's coordination with anti-India forces is visible by his call to forces inimical to the interest of the country to intervene in our internal matters," the Union Minister said.
Union Minister Rijiju said "we have also conveyed to senior Congress leaders to advise Rahul Gandhi to drop his anti-national posture, but without success". "Rahul Gandhi's anti-national posture is growing dangerous with each passing day. This is what inspired Youth Congress workers to take out this shameful protest at the AI Summit on Friday," he added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has remained in the Opposition for 60 years but we have never uttered a single anti-national word or indulged in any act harming the country's interest, the Union Minister said. Union Minister Rijiju said Prime Minister Narendra Modi keeps advising partymen in the Union Cabinet and party meetings to ensure that "none of our activities adversely impact the country".
"In contrast, the Congress leader and party workers keep conspiring 24 hours a day to tarnish the country's image," he said, adding that the protest at the AI Summit has angered the people of the country, who are condemning the Congress protest in their own way -- whether through street protests or on the social media.
Four Indian Youth Congress workers were arrested after the "shirtless" protest at the Summit on Friday. Congress leader Gurdeep Singh Sappal sought to defend the protesters, adding that they are "young men who tend to get over-excited and angered".
"The young protesters' anger got vented in their agitation against the destruction of their future and careers," Sappal said, linking the demonstration at the AI Summit to the allegedly "unfavourable" India-US trade deal.