AI Summit Protest Widens Rift Between Congress, INDIA Bloc Allies

The semi-naked protest by the Youth Congress at the AI Summit has become a political albatross for the party's main unit. First it was the INDIA Bloc allies that have distanced themselves from the protest. Now, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come out with his open criticism, the India Bloc allies are also speaking up. Worse, senior leaders of the Congress are now expressing their dis-satisfaction. 

Senior Congress leader, former Union Minister and former Governor Margaret Alva, has said it is crucial to maintain discipline and a sense of responsibility when it comes to protests against international events. 

Another senior Congress leader said on condition of anonymity that while it is the Opposition's right to protest, the venue was not correct. 

The Congress has now made it clear to its leaders that the Youth Congress's action must be defended.

But silencing the allies may not prove easy. 

Even Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party and Lalu Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal, which have consistently supported the government in Parliament, have abandoned the Congress. 

Akhilesh Yadav has said while the BJP is a "liar" and the government spreads misinformation, he is not in favor of such protests that insult foreign delegates and India abroad.

RJD's Manoj Jha said there is anger within the country against this government on many issues, especially the India-US trade deal. But he still would not consider a semi-nude protest at the AI Summit as a good idea. Choosing the right venue for a protest is crucial and the venue should have been different, he added.

Arvind Sawant and Aditya Thackeray, members of the Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray faction, have meanwhile, issued statements distancing themselves from the Congress. 

Sawant said while everyone has the right to protest in politics, but one must understand the venue for protests. The AI Summit was an international platform and should have been avoided.

Aditya Thackeray agreed, saying the summit was a professional platform and should not have been the venue for a political protest.

West Bengal IT Minister Babul Supriyo sharply reacted on social media, saying in a post that protest on a platform attended by international leaders and global industry leaders sends a negative message about the country's priorities. While everyone has the right to protest in a democracy, it is equally important to exercise responsibility. While political differences can be fought about, the price should not be paid by compromising the nation's dignity and honor, he added.

The allies' unanimous reaction is expected to come as a huge lesson for the Congress. While many leaders had individually questioned its policies from time to time, disapproval on such a scale has been rare.

Because the Congress is the second largest party in the Lok Sabha on basis of numbers and its leader is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the party has some breathing space. But its strategy sessions should be should be more balanced and mature, taking the interests of allies into account, many have said.