New Delhi: A Delhi court Saturday remanded four members of the Youth Congress to five days of police custody following their arrest during a shirtless protest held at the India AI Impact Summit Friday.
The accused — Krishna Hari, Kundan Yadav, Ajay Kumar, and Narasimha Yadav — were produced before the Patiala House Court after their arrest in connection with the demonstration that disrupted proceedings at the summit venue.
Seeking police custody, the investigating agency submitted that custodial interrogation of the accused was necessary to ascertain the larger conspiracy behind the protest, identify other persons involved, and examine the circumstances under which the demonstration was organised.
The defence, however, opposed the remand plea and sought bail for the accused, arguing that they were participating in a peaceful protest and that continued detention was unwarranted.
After hearing both sides, the Patiala House Court remanded all four accused to five days of police custody and rejected their bail applications. The arrests were made after Youth Congress workers staged a protest during the India AI Impact Summit, drawing sharp political reactions.
The incident came into the spotlight after some protesters allegedly engaged in disruptive conduct at the high-profile event attended by political leaders, industry representatives and technology experts.
According to officials, several Youth Congress workers removed their shirts and shouted slogans before security personnel intervened. During the protest, some of the party workers were topless and stood in front of an India AI Summit board, clicking pictures and attempting to create a ruckus.
The security personnel deployed there quickly acted and forced them out. The investigation into the matter is ongoing.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders had criticised the protest, terming it inappropriate and accusing the Congress party of attempting to derail a national event showcasing India’s technological progress.
In a statement, the youth wing of the opposition Indian National Congress said the demonstration was meant to highlight concerns that “corporate interests are being prioritised over national interests” and alleged that the government’s foreign policy stance had weakened.
The group also linked the protest to economic issues such as rising prices and joblessness, claiming that young people were increasingly frustrated.
