New Delhi, February 24, 2026 — Uday Bhanu Chib, the national president of the Indian Youth Congress, was taken into custody today following a prolonged interrogation related to a shirtless protest held during the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapan. The arrest came after approximately 15 hours of questioning at the Tilak Marg police station.
Police sources revealed that Chib did not cooperate during the investigation and allegedly attempted to mislead authorities. Authorities have stated that sufficient evidence exists to charge him, and he is expected to be produced in court soon. This marks the eighth arrest in connection with the incident.
The protest drew sharp criticism from the BJP, which dismissed it as “characterless, brainless, and emotionless.” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the Congress of undermining national progress, claiming the protest was politically motivated and symbolized anti-national sentiments. He remarked that while the global community praised the AI Summit, the Congress’s opposition was unjustified, framing it as a protest against India’s achievements rather than the summit itself.
In contrast, the Youth Congress defended the demonstration, asserting it was peaceful and intended to highlight concerns over a “compromised” prime minister. Sheh Narayan Ojha, Youth Congress’s national general secretary, stated that their message was clear—that the prime minister was compromised—and criticized police action against their workers, who were allegedly baton-charged during protests across the country.
Ojha also alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was prevented from speaking on the Epstein files issue and questioned the circumstances surrounding recent India-US trade negotiations. She emphasized that their protest aimed to attract attention to government issues, asserting that their focus was on serving the public rather than political opposition.