'Learn from Bengaluru tech summit': Mallikarjun Kharge slams 'PR hungry' Modi govt over chaos at AI summit

Kharge said exhibitors and visitors faced “extreme distress due to the PM gatecrashing for a photo opportunity” on the very first day.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday attacked the “PR hungry” government for the “utter chaos and rank mismanagement” at the ‘India AI Impact Summit’, claiming that the country had to suffer “global embarrassment” while asking them to learn from ‘Bengaluru Tech Summit’ on how to organise such large-scale congregations.

The first day of the summit on Monday saw attendees from India and abroad complaining about patchy mobile and internet coverage, long queues at entry points, overcrowding in hallways, limited access to basic amenities as well as security measures for Prime Minister Narendra Modi keeping them stranded at Bharat Mandapam where the event is being held.

Kharge said an event that could have been a showpiece AI Summit for the entire world demonstrating the digital and AI capabilities of India has reportedly turned into “utter chaos and rank mismanagement” by the “PR hungry” government. He said exhibitors and visitors faced “extreme distress due to the PM gatecrashing for a photo opportunity” on the very first day.

“Exhibitors are left without food and water, their products are stolen, Digi Yatra miserably fails, laptops, personal electronic devices and even bags are prohibited, only cash instead of digital/UPI payment is accepted, and founders are made to pay huge sums without basic facilities, among many other reasons of distress,” he said.

“It is extremely unfortunate that our country has to suffer this global embarrassment due to the incompetency of our own government. Perhaps the Modi government should learn from the ‘Bengaluru Tech Summit’, which is an annual feature in smoothly organising such large scale Digital and Tech congregations,” he posted on ‘X’.

Citing a security advisory issued by Delhi Police, Congress Media and Publicity Department Chairman Pawan Khera claimed it is an AI summit where laptops are not allowed and there could be “no better exhibition of the government's patented stupidity”.

“The BJP has managed it the way it manages election rallies: maximise footfall, minimise substance. Lots of noise. Very little output. Jai ho!” he said while claiming that India’s “real innovators” have been let down by the “Reel Mantri” Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Party's Social Media and Digital Platforms Department Chairperson Supriya Shrinate claimed, “due to security lapses, many products were stolen. Demos failed because there was no internet at the summit venue. Founders/exhibitors had to stand in line for hours just to enter the venue. Laptops, bags, cameras, and water bottles were banned…”

“All of this happened because on the very first day of the AI summit, Narendra Modi arrived with his entire entourage just to get photos clicked and make reels. This shows that Narendra Modi cares only about polishing his own image. He doesn't care at all if the country's global image gets ruined. Shameful!” she posted on ‘X’.

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha Deputy Leader Sagarika Ghose said the AI summit should be about involving all stakeholders and not for the Prime Minister to get his “customary greedy photo-ops”.

“Litany of complaints on day 1 over arrangements gone horribly wrong because all the focus had to be on Photo-jeevi PM. Shame!” she added.