‘India Will Not Tolerate This’: Amit Shah Accuses Rahul Gandhi Of ‘Defaming India’ Over AI Summit Protest

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday launched a sharp political attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the Indian Youth Congress's "shirtless protest" inside Bharat Mandapam during the AI Impact Summit 2026, accusing the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha of trying to damage India's image globally in his effort to target the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking in Guwahati while unveiling healthcare projects worth Rs 2,092 crore, Shah said the country would not accept actions that, in his view, insult democratic institutions and tarnish India's reputation.

Shah targets Rahul Gandhi over AI Summit protest and Parliament demonstration

Addressing the gathering in Assam, Shah said the alleged protest was not an isolated act and directly linked it to Rahul Gandhi. He claimed the Congress leader was attempting to project India negatively on the world stage.

"India will not tolerate such thing. They will never forgive you. I am sure that the protest was held through collaboration with Rahul Gandhi...He is defaming the image of the country worldwide," he said.

Shah also referred to a separate protest outside Parliament, taking aim at Gandhi over visuals of him sitting on the steps of Parliament and allegedly eating tea and pakodas. He contrasted it with what he described as the accepted norms of opposition politics.

"We were also in the opposition and staged protests against the government, but there is a right platform for it," he said.

'Parliament is a sacred seat of democracy': Shah criticises protest optics

The Home Minister said Parliament should not be used as a protest site in the way he alleged the Congress had done, calling the institution a sacred democratic space. He said such actions crossed political limits and disrespected constitutional norms.

"Parliament is a sacred seat of democracy. Its stairs should not be used for even dharnas. And Rahul Gandhi was having 'chai-pakora' there. Doesn't he know where to have his breakfast?" asked the Union minister.

Shah further said these incidents, which he linked to the Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition, were unacceptable to the public and claimed no Indian would support what he described as attempts to "defame" the country while opposing the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Congress rule in Assam under fire as Shah alleges healthcare fund misuse

Alongside his criticism of the Congress, Shah also attacked the party's past governance record in Assam, particularly in the health sector. He alleged that the state's healthcare system was in poor condition a decade ago and claimed previous Congress governments prioritised the "financial health" of leaders' families over public welfare.

He further alleged that during its 15 years in power in Assam, the Congress "pocketed" Rs 150 crore annually from the state's healthcare budget.

Positioning the BJP as a party focused on accessible medical treatment, Shah said the current government was committed to affordable healthcare for all sections of society and praised Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for rapidly strengthening Assam's health infrastructure.

Shah praises Himanta Biswa Sarma as Assam rolls out major healthcare projects

Lauding Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Shah said Assam had moved quickly towards self-reliance in healthcare and was now aspiring to become a treatment hub for patients from neighbouring regions.

"CM Sarma has made Assam self-sufficient in the health sector even before the end of his term. Himanta was telling me in the car today that he wants to make Assam such that not a single patient has to go outside Assam to seek treatment. We want to create a state where poor patients from Bengal and the Northeast can seek treatment," he said.

During the event, Shah inaugurated the Rs 675-crore Pragjyotishpur Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) in Guwahati. He also virtually launched two cancer centres at Golaghat and Tinsukia under the Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF), with each facility built at a cost of Rs 135 crore.

In addition, he virtually laid the foundation stone for super-speciality hospitals at Diphu Medical College and Hospital worth Rs 220 crore, Jorhat Medical College and Hospital worth Rs 310 crore, and Barpeta Medical College and Hospital worth Rs 284 crore. He also launched the foundation for the Rs 218-crore Swasthya Bhawan in Guwahati and the Rs 115-crore Abhayapuri District Hospital.

Shah reached Assam on Saturday evening for a two-day visit, during which he also held closed-door meetings with senior BJP leaders on organisational and election-related matters.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India is expected to announce the schedule for the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry later today, adding fresh political significance to Shah's remarks in Guwahati.