NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Tuesday sent Indian Youth Congress (IYC) President Uday Bhanu Chib to four days of police custody following his arrest in connection with a shirtless protest staged at the Bharat Mandapam during the AI Impact Summit.The protest involved a group of Youth Congress workers displaying politically charged T-shirts and slogans criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the India-US trade deal.Chib was produced before a judicial magistrate at Patiala House Court, which granted four days of custody for further investigation. Delhi Police allege that Chib was the mastermind behind the protest, orchestrating logistics, funding and coordination with co-accused, including Shree Krishna Hari, Kundan Yadav, Narsimha Yadav and Ajay Kumar Yadav.Police said that the group staged the protest after completing mandatory online registration and gaining entry with QR codes. Security footage shows protesters removing outer layers to reveal anti-PM messages on their T-shirts. The incident allegedly involved obstruction and minor altercations with security personnel.Chib has been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity between groups, obstructing public servants and offences related to unlawful assembly. The ongoing investigation has been transferred to the Delhi Police Crime Branch.
Congress defends the protest
Responding to Chib’s arrest, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi praised the Youth Congress protesters, calling them “Babbar Sher comrades.”In a post on X, he wrote: “Peaceful protest is our historic heritage. It is in our blood and is the democratic right of every Indian. I am proud of my Babbar Sher comrades in the Youth Congress, who have fearlessly raised their voices in the nation’s interest against the ‘COMPROMISED PM’.”He criticised the India-US trade agreement, alleging it would harm farmers, the textile industry and compromise national interests.“The Trade Deal with America has compromised the country’s interests. This agreement will harm our farmers and textile industry and hand over our data to America,” Gandhi wrote. He further reaffirmed his party’s support for the protesters.“The Congress Party and I stand firmly with our Babbar Sher comrades. Holding a mirror to power with the truth is not a crime, it is patriotism. Do not fear – truth and the Constitution are with us,” he added. The Indian Youth Congress termed Chib’s arrest as “anarchy and undeclared emergency”, calling for his immediate release.Taking to X, IYC wrote: “This is anarchy — an undeclared Emergency! A government that fears peaceful protests in a democracy cannot intimidate Youth Congress workers. The BJP is trading away the nation’s interests. Congress will not remain silent over this incompetence. Release Uday Bhanu ji and all workers immediately.”Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera also slammed the government, calling it ‘a matter of shame’. “This is a matter of shame that they have a problem with someone staging a protest peacefully. The dictator will put those in jail who show him the mirror. Have all the terrorists behind the Pulwama, Pahalgam attack, Red Fort blast been arrested? You are not able to arrest those behind the terrorist attacks, but get scared if someone removes their shirt. This is the reality of the government,” Khera wrote on X.
‘Rahul Gandhi is trying to shame the country’: BJP hits back at LoP
The arrest prompted a sharp response from the BJP, with national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia hitting out at Rahul Gandhi and the Congress leadership. Speaking at a press conference, Bhatia criticised the Congress leader’s role in the protest, saying: “Rahul Gandhi is trying to shame the country, and in the process of shaming the nation, he himself is getting exposed layer by layer. No one ever imagined, not even the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, nor Bhagat Singh, that a day would come when Rahul Gandhi would make Congress workers dance naked at his instructions and then compare them with Mahatma Gandhi.” “Just moments before I came for this press conference, information came in about Uday Bhanu, the president of the Youth wing of the Congress party. It is reported that he has been arrested. Delhi Police had sought seven days of remand from the court. Just now, the court’s order has come. After considering all the facts, and keeping in mind the constitutional right to freedom of expression and the right to protest, the court has granted four days of police custody,” he added. Bhatia further accused Congress leader of orchestrating the protest and undermining India, stating: “Rahul Gandhi hatched this conspiracy to embarrass India… Uday Bhanu Chib was arrested for organising a shirtless protest by Youth Congress workers during the AI Summit, and the Delhi Police sought his 7-day remand from the court… Rahul Gandhi has not read a copy of the Constitution. India’s Leader of the Opposition is India’s weakest link... Every citizen of India follows the Constitution because it is the thread that binds Indians together.”The protest occurred on February 20 inside Exhibition Hall No. 5 at Bharat Mandapam during the AI Summit. Around 10 IYC workers briefly removed their outer clothing to reveal T-shirts bearing images of PM Modi, US President Donald Trump and slogans including “India-US Trade Deal” and “PM is compromised.”According to police, the protest was planned with a “common intention,” and Chib was allegedly the orchestrator. Earlier arrests in the case included Jitendra Yadav, Raja Gujar, and Vimal Ajay Kumar, bringing the total number detained to eight.
