BJP workers raise ‘Lashkar-e-Rahul’ slogans, wave black flags at Rahul Gandhi after Congress' shirtless protest

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers staged protests across multiple cities on Friday after Youth Congress members disrupted the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, with black flags shown to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Maharashtra’s Mulund. Demonstrations were reported in Delhi, Surat, Mulund and Hyderabad, intensifying the political confrontation over the incident.

In Mulund, Gandhi was confronted by BJP supporters while on his way to Thane in connection with a defamation case filed against him by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activist Rajesh Kunte. Protesters waved black flags and raised slogans, including “Lashkar-e-Rahul,” along with other anti-Congress chants as his convoy passed through the area.

The protests followed scenes from the AI summit venue in Delhi, where shirtless Youth Congress members entered a hall and shouted slogans against the government over a trade deal with the United States. Four protesters — Krishna Hari, Kundan Yadav, Ajay Kumar and Narasimha Yadav — were arrested in connection with the disruption.

Police are investigating whether there was a larger conspiracy behind the breach at the high-security Bharat Mandapam venue. According to reports, the protesters initially planned to carry black umbrellas with printed stickers but altered their strategy after anticipating security checks, instead affixing printed stickers to t-shirts. Authorities are also examining how they accessed QR codes required for entry, with facial recognition software used to identify those involved.

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav described the disruption as “absolute shamelessness from Congress,” accusing the party of attempting to undermine India’s image as a rising technology powerhouse. Gandhi’s visit to Thane was linked to the ongoing defamation case alleging he falsely associated the RSS with Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, a complaint filed under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code.