A political confrontation intensified on Tuesday after Delhi Police arrested Indian Youth Congress (IYC) chief Uday Bhanu Chib for his alleged role in last week’s shirtless protest at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.
The Congress accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being intolerant of criticism and fearful of dissent, turning the arrest into a broader debate on democracy and opposition rights.
According to police officials, Chib was taken into custody in connection with the February 20 protest at Bharat Mandapam, where a group of IYC members disrupted proceedings inside Hall No. 5 by removing their shirts to display T-shirts bearing slogans critical of the Central government and the India–U.S. interim trade agreement. Authorities said the protesters had registered online and secured QR-code entry passes to access the venue.
Chib’s arrest brings the total number of individuals held in the case to eight. Earlier, seven IYC workers were detained, including three from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh — Jitendra Yadav, Raj Gujjar and Ajay Kumar. Additionally, IYC’s Uttar Pradesh general secretary Ritik alias Monty Shukla was picked up from Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh.
The arrest has triggered heightened security measures across the national capital. Senior police officials confirmed that additional forces have been deployed at sensitive locations, particularly in central Delhi, which frequently witnesses political demonstrations. Barricades have been erected at key points, and anti-riot units have been placed on standby. Security has also been tightened around Tilak Marg police station, where Chib is currently lodged.
Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) and extra paramilitary contingents have been alerted to prevent any potential law and order disturbance. Officers have instructed field staff to ensure that traffic movement remains unaffected despite the security build-up.
Reacting strongly to Chib’s detention, Congress leader and head of the party’s media and publicity department Pawan Khera accused the Prime Minister of stifling democratic expression. Speaking from Bhopal, where he is attending the party’s Kisan Maha Chaupal focused on opposition to the India–U.S. interim trade deal, Khera said protesting is a fundamental responsibility of the opposition in a democracy.
In remarks to media, Khera alleged that a “dictator” would never understand the role of dissent. Referring to a recent speech by the Prime Minister in Meerut, he claimed that democratic values were absent from the ruling dispensation’s political vocabulary. He further alleged that Chib and other party workers were being detained from various parts of the country in a coordinated move.
Khera asserted that Prime Minister Modi was “scared” of questions and public scrutiny. He accused the Prime Minister of emerging as “the most cowardly Prime Minister in the world” and claimed that the arrests reflected insecurity at the highest levels of government.
Despite the confrontation, Khera said the Congress would continue to raise public issues through non-violent means. Invoking the party’s legacy of “Ahimsa,” he maintained that no amount of alleged repression would deter it from voicing concerns over policies such as the interim trade pact with the United States.
The protest itself unfolded dramatically last Friday inside the summit venue. IYC members, after gaining lawful entry through online registration, removed their shirts to reveal protest slogans printed on T-shirts. Security personnel swiftly intervened and escorted them out of the premises.
The incident sparked sharp reactions from both sides of the political divide. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the demonstration as a “shameful act” that attempted to damage India’s image at a global forum. The youth wing of the Congress, however, defended the action as a peaceful and symbolic protest intended to protect national interests.
As political rhetoric escalates, the episode has once again placed the spotlight on the limits of protest and dissent in high-profile public events. While law enforcement agencies maintain that the arrests are part of standard legal procedure, the Congress has framed the matter as a test case for democratic freedoms.
With additional protests anticipated and security tightened across the capital, the developments surrounding the AI Impact Summit protest are likely to remain at the centre of political debate in the coming days.
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