AAP leader criticises Bill Gates's old speech in Delhi amid Epstein files row

Gates Foundation founder Bill Gates

Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti has sparked a political and social media storm after strongly objecting to Bill Gates being allowed to speak at an event in Delhi. His remarks came shortly after Gates delivered a lecture, triggering an intense online debate.

What Somnath Bharti said?

In a sharply worded post on X that quickly went viral, Bharti referred to allegations linking Gates to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and “strongly objected” to Gates’s presence in Delhi, describing him as a close associate of Epstein. The post drew thousands of reactions and polarised opinions online.

As an alumnus of IIT Delhi, I strongly object to @BillGates speaking at IIT Delhi. This barbaric man, a strategic and dear friend of Epstein, needs to be opposed at all costs. https://t.co/AQUqOHjxWk

— Somnath Bharti सोमनाथ भारती (@attorneybharti) February 16, 2026

The controversy gained further traction amid reports suggesting that the Centre had removed Gates from a guest list following references to his name in the Epstein files. These claims, however, were swiftly addressed by Gates’s team, which clarified that he remained scheduled to attend and speak at the upcoming AI Impact Summit 2026.

A spokesperson for the Gates Foundation said Bill Gates would deliver his keynote address as planned. The statement highlighted India’s growing leadership in artificial intelligence, crediting large-scale innovation, a strong talent pool, and policy support under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It also described AI as central to India’s “Viksit Bharat” vision, driven by collaboration between government, academia, startups and industry.

Earlier this week, Gates visited Vijayawada, where he met Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu and deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan. During the visit, Gates praised the state’s use of technology in agriculture, healthcare, and disaster management, noting that such integration remains rare even in developed countries. He also lauded the Sanjeevani health initiative being implemented in Kuppam with support from the foundation.

The AI Impact Summit 2026, currently underway at Bharat Mandapam, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi and is being held under the IndiaAI Mission and the Digital India programme. The event brings together policymakers, technology companies, researchers and industry leaders to discuss how global AI frameworks can be adapted to deliver real-world development outcomes.