Jammu Congress protests IYC president's arrest for 'shirtless' protest

Jammu Congress protested the arrest of IYC President Uday Bhanu Chib for a 'shirtless' protest at a Delhi AI summit. Congress called the arrest 'dictatorship', while Delhi Police stated the protest was part of a 'deep conspiracy'.

Jammu Congress members on Wednesday held a protest in Jammu over the arrest of Indian Youth Congress National President Uday Bhanu Chib following the 'shirtless' protest at AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. Holding the posters of 'PM Is Compromised', the Congress criticised Chib's arrest, accusing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of dictatorship and divisive politics. This comes after the Delhi Police Crime Branch on Tuesday said eight persons, including IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib, have been arrested in connection with the protest last week.

Congress Criticises Arrest, Questions Government

Speaking with ANI, Neeraj Kundan, Jammu Rural Congress President, expressed anger over the arrest memo of Chib, which Kundan said recognised the IYC President as "mastermind" for the protest in the national capital and accused the BJP government of failing to arrest the culprits behind the terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. "The way IYC members have been arrested. The arrest memo given to Chib says that he has been arrested for creating the 'PM is compromised' T-shirts and recognising him as the mastermind. I want to ask, where are the masterminds of the Pahalgam attack, the Pulwama attack? They brought kgs of RDX and the governemnt couldn't catch them, but rather arrested someone who made T-shirts," he said.

Referring to the Galgotias University Robodog controversy at the India AI Impact Summit, Kundan said, "Wasn't the country humiliated and insulted when an Indian University called a Chinese product as their curation at the AI Summit? But the ones protesting against the BJP and PM are called anti-national."

He further emphasised Congress's commitment to questioning the government's unjust rule, calling them the "Babbar sher" of Lok Sabh LoP Rahul Gandhi. "We are protesting against that, and I want to tell Amit Shah and PM Modi every member of the Congress is fearless and is the 'babbr sher' of Rahul Gandhi. You can put us in jail however much you want, but we will not get terrified of the BJP's tyranny," he said.

Police Allege 'Deep Conspiracy'

Earlier on Tuesday, speaking at a press briefing, Delhi Police Special CP Crime Branch, Devesh Chandra Srivastava, said that they have found concrete evidence that the incident was done "under a deep conspiracy." "On the basis of the investigation so far, we have found concrete evidence that this was done under a deep conspiracy. Further investigation into this case has been transferred to the Interstate Cell of Crime Branch. Detailed investigation is being done," he said.

"The arrested people include Indian Youth Congress office bearers. All arrested people were questioned after being taken into police remand," he added.

Court Orders FIR Copy Release

Meanwhile, the Patiala House court has allowed the application seeking the FIR lodged in the case. The court has directed the Delhi Police to supply a copy of the FIR. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) passed the order after considering the application moved on behalf of Chib and Ajay Kumar Vimal and the reply filed by the Delhi police.

Background of the Protest

On February 20, the members of the Indian Youth Congress staged a "shirtless protest" at the Bharat Mandapam venue of the Al Impact India Summit in the national capital by removing their shirts with slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)