New Delhi, February 24 Delhi's Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena told a Congress delegation on Tuesday that the "shirtless" demonstration by its youth wing at the AI Summit was "ill-conceived and malicious" when they met him to complain about the arrest of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) leaders in connection with the incident.
A delegation of the Congress Party, comprising party treasurer Ajay Maken, Delhi Congress president Devendra Yadav and other leaders, called on the LG and presented a memorandum to him on the recent police action against Youth Congress leaders.
The LG office in a post on X said, "The Lt Governor, while receiving the memorandum, categorically told the delegation that, without prejudice to the legal merits of the case, the act of the Youth Congress volunteers was prima facie aimed at denigrating the nation, on an occasion where an extremely important and topical international event was underway."
The LG also emphasized that the AI Summit was not being hosted by any individual or a political party, but by India as a nation. The "undignified protest" at the venue of the Summit was "ill-conceived, malicious" and amounted to jeopardising our national image on the international fora, said the post.
The representation by Congress leaders claimed that the IYC demonstration was "symbolic and political" in nature and did not involve violence, damage to property or threat to public safety.
The Congress leaders urged that enforcement action in matters involving political dissent should be guided by proportionality and constitutional protection of free expression, said a Delhi Congress statement.
The party requested a review of the arrests and charges, restraint in custodial or coercive measures, and that prosecutorial action not be pursued harshly.
Delhi Congress president Yadav complained that the avenues of democratic protests were being restricted and strongly opposed the arrest of IYC leaders.
"It is being said that this was not the appropriate time for such a protest. But we are not being allowed to exercise even the democratic right of protest," he said and added that the arrested leaders should not be treated like criminals.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Police arrested IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib as the "main conspirator and mastermind" of the protest held on February 20.
Seven IYC leaders were arrested by the police earlier in connection with the protest.
According to the police, around 10 Youth Congress members staged a brief protest inside Hall No. 5 of the summit venue, raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Some were seen holding or wearing white T-shirts bearing images of Modi and former US President Donald Trump, along with slogans such as “India US Trade Deal”, “Epstein Files” and “PM is compromised”, leading to a brief commotion.
Modi on Sunday said that the Congress had used the global event for its "gandi and nangi (dirty and shameless)" politics. Several opposition parties have also criticised the protest.
The AI Impact Summit, held from February 16 to 20, was inaugurated by the Prime Minister and attended by heads of state, global AI leaders, academicians, and industry executives.
