Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 24: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday strongly criticised the arrest of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) chief Uday Bhanu Chib and other party members, terming the action as proof of “dictatorial tendencies and cowardice”.
Chib was arrested by Delhi Police in connection with a case registered against IYC members for protesting at the venue of the India AI Impact Summit held in the national capital.
Reacting to the development, Gandhi said he was proud of the Youth Congress members who had “fearlessly raised their voices in the interest of the country against the COMPROMISED PM.”
“The arrest of Youth Congress President Uday Bhanu Chib and other IYC comrades for bringing this truth before the country is proof of dictatorial tendencies and cowardice,” Gandhi said in a post on X.
He asserted that peaceful protest was the Congress party’s “historical legacy”. “It is in our blood and is the democratic right of every Indian,” he said.
“The Congress Party and I stand firmly with our fellow members. Showing the mirror of truth to power is not a crime, it is patriotism. Don’t be afraid — the truth and the Constitution are with us,” Gandhi said, using the hashtag ‘I Stand With Youth Congress’.
Meanwhile, Congress’ media and publicity department head Pawan Khera also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the arrests, alleging that he was “scared” of dissent and questions.
“It is the duty of the opposition to protest in a democracy but a dictator will never understand this. If you hear the speech of that dictator in Meerut recently you will get to know that the word democracy does not exist in his dictionary,” Khera said.
So far, eight IYC members have been arrested in the case. An FIR has been registered at Tilak Marg police station under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including criminal conspiracy, assault and obstruction of a public servant in discharge of duty, unlawful assembly and common intention.
Later, additional sections under the BNS, including those related to promoting enmity between different groups and acts prejudicial to national integration, were invoked in the FIR, which carry a jail term of up to three years.
According to police, the action followed an incident on Friday when a group of protesters allegedly entered Exhibition Hall No. 5 of the AI summit wearing or carrying white T-shirts printed with images of Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump along with slogans such as “India-US Trade Deal”, “Epstein Files” and “PM is compromised”, leading to a commotion.
Police said they are also probing a possible “wider conspiracy angle” in connection with the protest.