Punjab Congress leader Brinder Singh Dhillon justified the protest and urged party workers to intensify their agitation against what he described as the government’s attempts to silence dissent.
NEW DELHI — A fresh political row erupted on Wednesday after Punjab Congress leader Brinder Singh Dhillon defended a shirtless protest staged by Youth Congress workers at the recent AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam and issued a provocative challenge directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The controversy stems from an incident during the AI summit, where Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers allegedly removed their shirts and raised slogans against the Prime Minister. The action reportedly led to punitive measures against some of the youth leaders.
Reacting to the crackdown, Dhillon justified the protest and urged party workers to intensify their agitation against what he described as the government’s attempts to silence dissent. In a video statement, he used strong language while challenging the Prime Minister and called on party members not to be intimidated by arrests.
“Modi ko bolo teri aisi ki taisi, tere ko dekhenge saamne se. Aa tere mein hai dum, toh dara le jisko darana hai, punjab wale aane lage hain.” (Tell Modi… To hell with you. We will see you from the front. If you have the guts, make us frighten. People from Punjab have started coming out), said Punjab Congress leader, going overboard in criticising the Modi government and also issuing a direct challenge.
He encouraged Congress workers to be prepared to “fill the jails” if necessary, asserting that they should not succumb to what he termed as “pressure tactics” by the government.
The remarks drew sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused the Congress of lowering the country’s dignity at an international forum and normalising abusive rhetoric against the Prime Minister.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari condemned Dhillon’s comments, alleging that the Congress was sending contradictory signals by protesting arrests on one hand while escalating its agitation on the other.
Another BJP leader, Shehzad Poonawala, went further, describing the remarks as akin to an “open death threat” against the Prime Minister.
The Congress has yet to issue an official statement responding to the BJP’s allegations.
The incident has added to the already heated political atmosphere, with both parties trading accusations over the limits of protest, political rhetoric, and decorum in public life. — With inputs from IANS
