AI Summit protest: IYC chief Uday Bhan held, Delhi Police arrest several activists

Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president Uday Bhan Chib has been detained by Delhi Police in connection with the IYC protest at the recent AI Impact Summit. Police have also conducted raids across several states to arrest Congress activists linked to the demonstration.

On Monday, Delhi Police arrested Jitendra Yadav from Gwalior for his alleged role in the Youth Congress protest at Bharat Mandapam during the AI Impact Summit. This marks the fifth arrest in the case so far.

The Congress has launched a counteroffensive against the BJP-led Union government, alleging that dissenting voices are being suppressed and democracy is being muzzled.

Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal strongly condemned the detention of the IYC president and party workers. “This government forgets that protests are the heart of democracy, not a crime. What our IYC workers did was to bravely expose how the Prime Minister is compromised. We demand their immediate release and that all charges be dropped,” he said.

Other senior Congress leaders, too, have come out in support of the protesters, with many pointing out that given the highly inadequate coverage of the Opposition by mainstream media and the shrinking space for dissent, a dramatic protest such as this was one of the only ways for the Opposition to draw attention to India's pressing problems.

Demanding that the “harassment must stop,” Congress leader and spokesperson S. Senthilkumar said peaceful dissent should not be treated as a crime or a threat.

“Young people have the right to ask questions, especially when accountability is required. There is no justification for targeting an entire organisation or the families of those associated with it,” he said, adding that the arrested activists had not yet been provided copies of the FIR. He demanded full disclosure of FIR details, including the exact grounds of arrest.

Congress MP H. C. Meena, speaking at a joint press conference, said the demonstration involved neither violence nor vandalism. “The protesters only wanted to draw the Modi government’s attention to the concerns of the country’s youth,” he said.

The shirtless protest has triggered strong reactions and sharp divisions within the Opposition. While some leaders defended the demonstration as a legitimate form of dissent, others argued that it tarnished India’s image at a global summit.

On 20 February, a group of IYC workers staged a dramatic shirtless protest at the AI Impact Summit exhibition hall at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. Walking through the venue holding T-shirts bearing slogans against the Modi government, IYC activists shouted slogans against India–US trade deal.

Following the incident, Delhi Police arrested four IYC workers in connection with the protest, with a senior officer stating that an investigation into a possible "wider conspiracy" is underway.