Youth Congress ‘shirtless protest’ mars AI summit; 4 arrested

Indian Youth Congress workers staged a ‘shirtless protest’ at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, raising slogans against the government and the India-US trade deal. Police arrested four protesters as BJP and Congress traded sharp accusations

New Delhi: A group of Indian Youth Congress workers on Friday staged a dramatic ‘shirtless protest’ at an AI Impact Summit exhibition hall, walking around holding T-shirts with slogans against the government and the India-US trade deal printed on them, triggering a strong reaction from the ruling BJP, and the police to arrest four of them.

The scene unfolded around noon inside Exhibition Hall No 5 at the Bharat Mandapam, as protesters repeatedly raised the slogan, “PM is compromised”.

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Wearing or holding matching white T-shirts with images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump printed on them, along with slogans such as “India-US Trade Deal”, “Epstein Files” and “PM is compromised”, the IYC workers, numbering at least 10, walked in the hallway, sending it into a state of commotion.

The protest, which lasted a few minutes before the group was bundled out of the hall, caught the guests and other visitors by surprise, many of whom watched on in disbelief, given the significance of the AI Summit that India is hosting.

Following the incident, the Delhi Police arrested four IYC workers in connection with the protest at the Summit venue, with a senior officer saying that the police are probing a wider conspiracy angle in the case.

Earlier, around 10 people were detained after the protest.

The melee witnessed heated exchanges between some of the attendees of the mega event and a few protesters. At least one protester was thrashed by a visitor who had objected to the demonstration.

As the protesters marched out of the hall and towards the lobby and stood against a massive backdrop mounted there while shouting the slogan — “PM is compromised”, a guest carrying an authenticated entry badge told them that it is they “who were compromised” as they “tarnished the image of India.” The protesters were soon whisked away from the venue by the security personnel.

The BJP slammed the Congress for the protest, alleging that a “ruckus” was created at the venue to sabotage India’s global image at the behest of former party chief Rahul Gandhi.

Congress leader Pawan Khera, in a video posted on X, said the IYC “removed the posters” and made the country notice the “cracks in the walls.” “The Indian Youth Congress through the medium of a peaceful protest, have reflected the anger among the youth, at this AI Summit. There is a lot of hue and cry since then. A ‘compromised’ prime minister’s ‘incentivised’ media has started saying that, the protest has been staged at the ‘wrong place’, and it has brought dishonour to the country, protest should not have been done there,” he said.

Khera, hitting back at the BJP, asked for an ideal site for a protest.

“Should it be done in someone’s basement? Protest is done where people see it. Protest is done where media cameras are there,” he said.

The Congress leader asked the central dispensation if the country was not defamed when a “ceasefire announcement was made by America” after Operation Sindoor.

He asked if he it did not bring dishonour to India when “our country’s people are sent back (deported) in chains”, and when a “trade deal is done” after “Epstein files” come out or when a ‘Made in India’ sticker is put on a “Chinese product” at the Summit.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “For the Congress, I have just three words — topless, brainless and shameless.” Talking to PTI Videos, Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan termed the protest an “act of sedition” and said the protesters exposed the “AI or against-India” face of the Congress.

In a statement, IYC national president Uday Bhanu Chib said, “Peaceful protest is our right in a democracy, and we will continue to raise the voice of the youth.” He asserted that the organisation was not against the AI Summit but against “any compromise with India’s interests.” Posting a video of the protest, the IYC asked: “When the country’s farmers are being bargained away, anti-India trade agreements are being signed, and the youth is kept unemployed while being dragged into politics of hate, should we stay silent?” India belongs to its 140 crore citizens, it said.

AI Impact Summit, inaugurated by Mod, concluded on Friday.

Several heads of state, global AI leaders, academicians and researchers, heads of global tech giants and philanthropists attended the massive meet held at Bharat Mandapam.

According to police sources, the protesters allegedly registered online to obtain QR codes to enter the venue before staging the protest inside Hall No 5.

A police officer, soon after the protest, said, “They were removed immediately and were taken to Tilak Marg Police Station. No one will be allowed to breach the law and order situation.”