Samajwadi Party calls Galgotias University’s robot dog display ‘mockery of UP’, says ‘cancel recognition’

A robotic dog that briefly passed off as a homegrown innovation at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi has triggered a full-blown political storm with Samajwadi Party bringing the Galgotias University controversy to the floor of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, demanding a time-bound inquiry and even cancellation of the university’s recognition.

The row began earlier this week when Galgotias University showcased a robotic dog named “Orion” at the AI Summit, describing it as an innovation developed by the university’s Centre of Excellence. As criticism mounted online, summit organisers reportedly asked the university representatives to vacate their exhibition stall.

The university later issued a public apology, stating that “factually incorrect information” had been shared by one of its representatives during the event.

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Galgotias University row reaches UP Assembly

On Thursday, Samajwadi Party MLAs raised the issue in the Assembly arguing that the incident had damaged the reputation of Uttar Pradesh and the country on a global stage.

SP MLA Sachin Yadav said the university had showcased a China-manufactured product as its own, which he claimed amounted to “making a mockery of Uttar Pradesh and the country at the global level.”

He added, “This is not a political issue, but an issue of the House. It concerns the integrity of the entire state.” Yadav demanded a thorough investigation into how the product was displayed without verification and called it “a failure on the part of the government” if proper checks were not conducted.

Another SP legislator, Pankaj Malik, said the matter went beyond a single institution. “This act has not only brought a bad name to the country but will also remain a tag for students in this university and even for those who join this institution in the coming years. That is why we demand a probe to find out who was at fault,” he said.

Malik further argued that since the university is based in Uttar Pradesh, the state government also bears responsibility. “If the university is at fault, its recognition should be cancelled,” he said, urging a fair and time-bound inquiry.

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Galgotias University Robot Dog: Opposition take

The opposition attempted to raise the matter with Speaker Satish Mahana’s permission. However, the Speaker declined to allow a formal discussion. He said the summit was neither held in Uttar Pradesh nor was organised by the state government, and therefore did not fall within the Assembly’s jurisdiction.

“The programme was organised by the Government of India in Delhi,” Mahana told the House, maintaining that only matters directly linked to the state government or occurring within its territorial limits could be admitted for discussion.

Later, Deputy Speaker Manju Sivach allowed members to speak on the issue.

The controversy comes months after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath publicly praised Galgotias University for its performance in global rankings and its emphasis on innovation-driven education.