New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday condemned the arrest of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) President Uday Bhanu Chib and Youth Congress workers over the shirtless protest at the India AI Impact Summit, stating that the INC strongly denounces the police action. He further said that this was nothing but politics of harassment.
Jairam Ramesh took to social media platform X and said, “The INC condemns in the strongest possible terms the brazenly illegal arrest of the IYC President and Youth Congress workers for what was clearly a peaceful and legitimate protest.”
He added, “The PM is clearly rattled by the disclosures in the Epstein files. He is also facing the mounting anger of farmers due to his betrayal of their interests and his surrender to President Trump on the trade deal.”
Calling the arrest politically motivated, he said, “This is nothing but the politics of harassment. The PM is desperate to divert attention away from the uncomfortable truths about him and his regime that the people of our country have recognised.”
“Those who are afraid initimidate. The INC will not be deterred. It will continue exposing this government for the blatant lies it propagates. The INC will unflinchingly fight this Murder Of Democracy in India,” Jairam Ramesh said.
Meanwhile, a Delhi court remanded Uday Bhanu Chib to four days of police custody following his arrest in connection with the shirtless protest held during the India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam.
Chib was produced before the Patiala House Court after his arrest by the Delhi Police earlier in the day.
The investigating agency sought seven days of custodial interrogation, submitting that Chib was the “main conspirator and mastermind” behind the incident.
Opposing the plea, the defence argued against prolonged custody, while the prosecution contended that custodial interrogation was essential to uncover the larger conspiracy.
After hearing both sides, the Patiala House Court allowed four days of police custody for further investigation.
According to the grounds of arrest, Chib has been accused of being the main conspirator in organising an unlawful assembly on February 20 at Bharat Mandapam during the AI Summit and Expo 2026, where alleged anti-national slogans were raised, and attempts were allegedly made to incite a riot-like situation.
Police further alleged that Chib, along with co-accused Krishna Hari, Kundan Yadav, Narasimha Yadav, Ajay Kumar Yadav and others, obstructed and assaulted police officials performing their duties.
The arrest memo also stated that he allegedly did not cooperate during interrogation and failed to disclose details about the absconding co-accused and the source of printing the T-shirts used during the protest.
Chib was arrested after nearly 15 hours of questioning at Tilak Marg Police Station in connection with the shirtless protest staged on the final day of the India AI Impact Summit.
The protest had triggered a political row, with the ruling BJP criticising the demonstration as an attempt to tarnish India’s global image, while the Congress party defended it as a peaceful protest reflecting concerns of the youth in the country.
–IANS
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