Youth Congress chief Uday Bhanu Chib arrested over protest at India AI Impact Summit

Indian Youth Congress (IYC) National President Uday Bhanu Chib was arrested by Delhi Police on Tuesday, February 24, in connection with a protest staged at Bharat Mandapam during the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

According to Delhi Police, Chib was detained in relation to demonstrations organised by the Indian Youth Congress at the high-profile global summit venue in the national capital. The protest reportedly took place days earlier, on Friday, when Youth Congress members raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he had “compromised the nation’s identity,” as stated in a party release.

The summit, held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, has been a marquee international event focused on artificial intelligence governance and innovation. The demonstration by Youth Congress workers during the proceedings drew the attention of security agencies, given the high-level participation at the event.

Soon after news of the arrest broke, senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel strongly condemned the action, terming the government’s move “dictatorial.” In a sharply worded statement, Baghel alleged that the arrest was illegal and accused the Centre of attempting to silence dissent.

“I strongly condemn the illegal arrest of IYC National President Brother Uday Bhanu Chib ji and other young comrades by the Delhi Police. The ‘dictatorial’ government is forgetting that in a democracy, young people raising their voice, asking questions, and protesting is not a crime — it is the strongest weapon of democracy,” Baghel posted.

He further asserted that Youth Congress workers had carried out a peaceful protest without violence or provocation, claiming that they sought to highlight what he described as “the Prime Minister’s compromises and the unheard suffering of the youth.” Baghel alleged that the government was resorting to “police repression” to suppress democratic expression and demanded the immediate release of Chib and other detained workers, along with the withdrawal of what he termed “false charges.”