Youth Congress goes shirtless at Bharat Mandapam to protest AI Summit | Watch

A group of Youth Congress workers who staged a shirtless protest at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on Friday were “fully prepared” for the disruption, government sources said, as police moved swiftly to detain those involved. Ten protesters have been arrested so far, and authorities indicated that others would be identified using facial recognition technology. Four of the arrested individuals have been identified as Krishna Hari, National Secretary of the Indian Youth Congress; Narasimha Yadav, National Coordinator; and Kundan Yadav and Ajay Kumar, office-bearers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh units.

The protesters had entered the summit venue after registering and presenting QR-code entry passes, similar to other attendees over the past five days. Once inside, they removed their shirts and waved T-shirts bearing slogans targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the India-US tariff agreement, creating dramatic scenes at the high-profile event.

In a video shared on social media, the Youth Congress defended the protest, stating that dissent was necessary when “corporate interests appear to trump national interests.” The organisation’s national president said the slogans reflected widespread anger among unemployed youth and alleged that the Prime Minister was “compromised,” echoing criticism over the recently announced tariff arrangement with the United States.

The BJP reacted sharply, accusing the Congress of attempting to tarnish India’s global image at a prestigious international summit. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal alleged that Rahul Gandhi had humiliated the country to target the government, while party spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari described the act as “anti-national.” Forests Minister Bhupender Yadav termed the disruption “absolute shamelessness.”

The protest unfolded amid broader political sparring over the India-US tariff deal, under which the United States is set to impose an 18 per cent reciprocal tariff on certain Indian-origin goods. As the controversy escalated, security agencies intensified efforts to identify remaining participants in the disruption and maintain order at the summit venue.