‘PM is scared of questions’: Congress attacks govt after IYC chief’s arrest

The Congress party has launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the arrest of Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib in connection with a protest at last week’s AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.

Chib was detained by Delhi Police over a shirtless demonstration staged by members of the youth wing at the summit, held at Bharat Mandapam. With his arrest, the total number of people held in the case has risen to eight.

Police said security had been stepped up across sensitive locations in the capital amid the possibility of further protests. Additional personnel have been deployed in central Delhi, particularly around Tilak Marg police station, where Chib is being held. Barricades have been erected at key points, anti-riot units placed on standby and Quick Reaction Teams, along with paramilitary forces, put on alert.

A senior officer said the priority was to maintain public order and ensure minimal disruption to daily life, warning that preventive measures could be taken against any unauthorised gatherings.

Reacting to the arrest, Congress media department head Pawan Khera accused the prime minister of being intolerant of criticism. “It is the duty of the opposition to protest in a democracy,” he said, alleging that Mr Modi was “scared of dissent and questions being asked of him”.

Khera, who was in Bhopal for a party event opposing the India–US interim trade deal, claimed the government was resorting to intimidation. He said the Congress would continue to raise public issues through non-violent means, invoking the party’s long-standing commitment to “ahimsa”.

According to police, additional charges have been invoked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including provisions relating to promoting enmity between groups and acts prejudicial to national integration, both of which carry potential prison terms of up to three years. Other charges include criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, obstructing a public servant and disobedience of official orders.

Earlier arrests included seven Youth Congress workers, among them three individuals from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. Another office-bearer from Uttar Pradesh was detained in Lalitpur.

The protest took place inside Hall No. 5 of the summit venue, when a group of Youth Congress members removed their shirts to reveal T-shirts bearing slogans critical of the government and the India–US interim trade deal. They were subsequently escorted out by security personnel.

Investigators said those involved had registered online and secured QR codes to enter the venue. Officials are examining CCTV footage, digital records and entry data to determine the sequence of events and identify others who may have been involved. Police are also probing whether the protest was pre-planned and how it was funded, including the printing of the slogan-bearing T-shirts.

The episode has sparked a political row, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party describing the demonstration as an attempt to embarrass India on an international platform, while the Youth Congress has defended it as a peaceful protest aimed at protecting national interests.

With agency inputs