New Delhi: Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested Indian Youth Congress (IYC) National President Uday Bhanu Chib in connection with the shirtless protest at Bharat Mandapam on the final day of the India AI Impact Summit.
Chib was taken into custody in the early hours following nearly 15 hours of questioning at the Tilak Marg police station. According to officials, he allegedly did not cooperate during interrogation and attempted to mislead investigators. Police claimed they have sufficient evidence against him. After the arrest, Chib was produced before the Patiala House Court.
Reacting to the arrest, senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel condemned the action, terming it an “illegal arrest” of Chib and other IYC workers. In a post on X, Baghel stated that in a democracy, raising questions and expressing concerns peacefully is not a crime but a fundamental right.
"I strongly condemn the illegal arrest of IYC National President Bhai Uday Bhanu Chib ji and other young comrades by Delhi Police. The government is forgetting that in a democracy, raising voice, asking questions and protesting by the youth is not a crime, but the strongest weapon of democracy. Our Youth Congress workers, without any violence or provocation, in a peaceful manner, highlighted the compromises of the Prime Minister and the unheard suffering of the youth," Baghel said.
He described the protest as a courageous and democratic step and accused the government of using police repression to suppress it. Baghel demanded the immediate release of Chib and all arrested IYC workers, calling for withdrawal of all charges.
The protest, held on Friday, involved IYC workers entering the AI Impact Summit venue wearing or carrying T-shirts bearing slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the India-US trade deal. Police said the protesters had registered online for the summit and had concealed the T-shirts with jackets or sweaters.
The incident sparked a political clash between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress. The BJP described the protest as a “shameful act” aimed at tarnishing India’s image globally, while the IYC defended it as a peaceful demonstration intended to safeguard national interests.
Congress leader Pawan Khera posted a video on X, stating that the IYC had “removed the posters” but successfully drew attention to what he described as the “cracks in the walls” of governance. He added that the protest reflected youth anger and criticised media for calling it staged at the “wrong place.”
With IANS inputs