Chaos erupted at the prestigious India AI Impact Summit held at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi today when members of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) staged a shirtless protest, chanting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Several leaders of the Youth Congress have been arrested by Delhi Police for staging a political protest at a global event on AI.
IYC National Secretary Krishna Hari, Bihar State Secretary Kundan Yadav, UP State Vice President Ajay Kumar and National Coordinator Narasimha Yadav are among those arrested. Delhi Police Additional CP Devesh Kumar Mahla said that the rest of the members of the team are being identified for their detention.
#WATCH | Delhi: On the protest by Indian Youth Congress workers, Additional CP Devesh Kumar Mahla says, "The people detained have been identified as Krishna Hari. He is the National Secretary, age 35, a resident of Bihar. The second one's name is Kundan Yadav. He is also from… pic.twitter.com/wOJ34ISfx2
— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2026
The Youth Congress leaders had removed their shirts with slogans printed on them and waved them while chanting slogans. They were protesting against the recently announced India-US tariff agreement, alleging it compromises national interests and lacks transparency.
The protest took place inside the summit venue, disrupting proceedings for a few minutes as attendees, including top CEOs and international delegates, looked on in surprise. Visuals from the scene showed protesters holding up T-shirts emblazoned with images and messages criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
However, they were confronted by visitors at the venue, who slammed them for disrupting the global event with politics. This led to a physical confrontation between the disruptors and visitors, with several Youth Congress leaders having to face angry blows from the members of the public.
ACP Mahla said that the Youth Congress leaders had registered online to attend the event, and gained access using QR code, just like others visiting the event. They were wearing sweaters, jackets etc over their T-shirts with the objectionable slogans. Once inside hall number 5, they removed their winter-wear, then removed the T-shirts and started waving while chanting anti-Modi slogans like “PM is compromised”.
The Youth Congress later defended the protest, claiming it was a reflection of anger among youths in the country. IYC National President Uday Bhanu Chib said, “Our country has democracy. We can hold peaceful protests anywhere.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the protest, accusing the Congress of jealousy over India’s growing AI ambitions and attempting to sabotage a high-profile event showcasing technological advancements. The party called the protest a matter of ‘national shame’, and an effort to embarrass India at the global stage.
