New Delhi, February 23 The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) said on Monday that its recent protest at the AI Impact Summit was peaceful and aimed at drawing attention to what it described as a "compromised" prime minister, alleging that its leaders were being politically targeted and falsely implicated.
Addressing a press conference here, IYC leaders claimed that their workers faced baton charges in recent protests across the country and were being treated "like terrorists" following the demonstration at the summit.
The press conference came after a group of around 10 IYC workers held a brief protest inside Hall No 5 of the AI Impact Summit on February 20, raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"We were conducting a peaceful protest. Our message was clear, our slogan was clear, that the prime minister is compromised. In the past few days, in various places in the country, we organized protests but our workers were subjected to baton charges," said IYC national general secretary Sheh Narayan Ojha.
He alleged that senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to speak on the Epstein files issue and questioned the circumstances surrounding a recent India-US trade deal.
"The deal was made suddenly, with no bilateral meetings, nothing was made public. Deals that had been stuck for so long were done overnight."
"Then we came to know from the American president that the deal was stuck and that 18 per cent tariffs were imposed. This happened right after Modi and Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri's names were there in the Epstein files," Ojha claimed.
IYC national general secretary Surbhi Dwivedi said the protest was meant to highlight issues concerning youth and employment.
"The purpose of the protest is to gain attention to issues from the government. We went there to get the attention of the youth at the summit."
"We did not harm anyone. For the party, India is the prime minister, but for us, India is the public," she said.
She added that unemployment had led to growing frustration among young people.
"Why are basic jobs not being given? The youth is frustrated. The Youth Congress has continuously worked to raise the voice of the youth," she said.
Referring to the controversy surrounding the so-called Epstein files, Ojha described it as "one of the most painful instances of our generation".
IYC's legal cell chairperson Roopesh Singh Bhadauria alleged that party leaders were arrested in a "malicious prosecution".
"The Youth Congress leaders were arrested like terrorists, in the early morning hours and even at night. Leaders who were not even available at the protest site were treated as terrorists and beaten black and blue. This is a malicious prosecution, like a witch hunt," he said.
He claimed that the parents of two IYC members were kept in custody in Gwalior to trace the leaders and bail pleas were being rejected while police were seeking five-day custody.
"This is political targeting. We are not going to back down. We will fight this through all legal procedures and will take action against the Delhi Police as well for their conduct," he added.
According to the IYC leaders, Uday Bhanu Chib, who complied with a notice served to him, was detained for questioning. They also claimed that seven women were picked up from various states and FIRs were filed against them.
The protesters were seen holding or wearing white T-shirts with images of Modi and US President Donald Trump, along with slogans such as "India US Trade Deal", "Epstein Files" and "PM is compromised", leading to a brief commotion at the venue.
They were later detained and taken to Tilak Marg police station. A senior police officer said that no one would be allowed to breach law and order.
The AI Impact Summit, held from February 16 to February 20, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi and attended by several heads of state, global AI leaders, academicians, researchers and technology executives.