“The arrest of Youth Congress President Uday Bhanu Chib and other IYC comrades for bringing this truth before the country is proof of dictatorial tendencies and cowardice,” the Congress leader wrote in a post on X.
Also Read | Congress youth leader Uday Bhanu Chib arrested by Delhi Police following shirtless protest at AI Summit
In his post, Gandhi said peaceful protest was part of India’s historical and democratic legacy.
“The Congress Party and I stand firmly with our Babbar Sher comrades. Holding a mirror to the truth to power is not a crime, it is patriotism. Do not fear – truth and the Constitution are with us,” he wrote in the post that came hours within the arrest.
Chib was arrested in connection with last week’s controversial “shirtless” protest at Bharat Mandapam during the AI Impact Summit. His detention takes the total number of arrests in the case to eight.
Dissent within Congress?
The LoP’s forceful defence of the protest comes even as some senior Congress figures have struck a more cautious note.
Veteran leader Margaret Alva reportedly emphasised the need for “dignity, discipline and responsibility” at international platforms, remarks seen as indirect criticism of the manner in which the demonstration was staged.
Also Read | BJP demands Rahul Gandhi’s apology over ‘shirtless’ protest at AI Impact Summit
Similarly, Karnataka Congress leader Priyank Kharge described the protest as possibly not being in the “right spirit,” though he argued the ruling party should instead be concerned about allegations surrounding the display of Chinese products at the summit, including claims involving Galgotias University.
However, Kharge termed the arrest itself as “vendetta.”
“This is vendetta and vindictive politics. It is a distraction tactic by the BJP. The AI Summit was completely mismanaged,” the told the media.
The BJP has seized on the protest to target the Congress, demanding that Gandhi apologise for what it calls an attempt to tarnish India’s image before global delegates.
The Youth Congress, however, has maintained that the demonstration was peaceful and aimed at safeguarding national interests.
