'Imperils Republic's image': Delhi court blasts Congress' 'shirtless' protest at AI Summit

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Saturday described the 'shirtless' protest by Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers at the AI Impact Summit-2026 as a “blatant assault on public order” that endangered India’s diplomatic image.Judicial magistrate Ravi allowed five days of police custody for the four accused, Krishna Hari, national secretary of Youth Congress from Bihar, Kundan Yadav, state secretary of Bihar, Ajay Kumar, state president of Uttar Pradesh, and Narasimha Yadav from Telangana, for questioning, citing the risk of absconding and potential links to external conspiracies, reported PTI. “Such conduct palpably transcends the ambit of legitimate dissent, metamorphosing into a blatant assault on public order. It imperils not merely the event's sanctity but also the Republic's diplomatic image before foreign stakeholders, rendering it wholly unprotected by constitutional safeguards,” the magistrate said.The magistrate noted that the protestors allegedly “donned provocative T-shirts bearing offensive slogans such as ‘India US Trade Deal Compromised’, vociferously raised incendiary chants, obstructed public servants in the execution of their duties, and perpetrated physical assaults causing grievous injuries to police personnel, as substantiated by the medico-legal cases (MLCs) on record.”“…the accused persons are alleged to have orchestrated a premeditated intrusion into the high-security precincts of Bharat Mandapam during the AI Summit 2026, a premier international conclave hosting global delegates and dignitaries,” the court order accessed by PTI said.The court further cited early investigation findings that suggested multiple associates of the accused could be absconding, potentially tampering with digital footprints, financial trails, and co-accused disclosures. It also referenced a 1980 Supreme Court verdict, noting that “bail discretion must safeguard investigation integrity, particularly pre-chargesheet.”The magistrate allowed police custody under provisions including BNS Sections 121 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), offences carrying punishment exceeding three years.The protest occurred during the AI Impact Summit-2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, attracting global tech leaders, policymakers, and entrepreneurs. The accused displayed T-shirts featuring images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, alongside slogans against the government and the India-US trade deal, and engaged in a scuffle with security personnel.Police had arrested the four protestors on Friday for staging the ‘shirtless protest’ inside the exhibition hall.