Senior Congress leaders jumped to the defence of its youth wing, Indian Youth Congress, and its president Uday Bhanu Chib after the latter was arrested by the Delhi police on Tuesday over the shirtless protest at the AI Impact Summit venue last week on Friday.
Uday Bhanu was arrested on Tuesday by the Delhi Police and was sent to four days in police custody in connection with the protest. While the order was passed by the Judicial Magistrate, members of the Youth Congress held protests and blocked road outside the Patiala House Court on Tuesday.
Defending him, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge sought to claim that Bharatiya Janata Party leader and union minister Nitin Gadkari, along with other BJP members, also created “chaos” during the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
Also read: ‘Dirty, naked politics’: PM Modi slams Congress over ‘shirtless’ protest at AI Summit
Reacting to the BJP's criticism that an event of international scale hosting several foreign dignitaries was no place to stage a protest and that it was “anti-national”, Kharge said, “What did Nitin Gadkari and other BJP members do when the Commonwealth Games were going on? Didn't these people go to every event and create chaos there? At that time, they had no idea about nationalism. Weren't they concerned about national sentiment, keeping the nation united, and what message would be sent to the many athletes who come from all over the country?” as quoted by news agency ANI.
{{/usCountry}}Reacting to the BJP's criticism that an event of international scale hosting several foreign dignitaries was no place to stage a protest and that it was “anti-national”, Kharge said, “What did Nitin Gadkari and other BJP members do when the Commonwealth Games were going on? Didn't these people go to every event and create chaos there? At that time, they had no idea about nationalism. Weren't they concerned about national sentiment, keeping the nation united, and what message would be sent to the many athletes who come from all over the country?” as quoted by news agency ANI.
{{/usCountry}}“Stop trying to educate others, stop teaching others, and look at your own behaviour…Don't teach us. Instead of harassing the Youth Congress members, you should let them go,” Kharge added.
Also read: ‘Imperils the Republic’s image': Delhi court on shirtless protest by Youth Congress at AI summit
‘I am proud of my Babbar Sher comrades’
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also defended the Youth Congress workers and said that he was “proud” of his “babbar sher comrades”.
He said that the arrest of Udhay Bhanu and other members of the Youth Congress over the protest “is proof of dictatorial tendencies and cowardice”.
Reiterating his “compromised PM” jibe and criticism of the India-US trade deal, Gandhi wrote on X, “Peaceful protest is our historical legacy. It is in our blood and is the democratic right of every Indian. I am proud of my Babbar Sher comrades in the Youth Congress, who have fearlessly raised their voices in the interest of the country against the ‘COMPROMISED PM’. The Trade Deal with America has compromised the interests of the country. This agreement will harm our farmers and textile industry and hand over our data to America.”
“The Congress Party and I stand firmly with our Babbar Sher comrades. Holding a mirror to the truth to power is not a crime, it is patriotism. Do not fear - truth and the Constitution are with us,” he added.
‘Can even become Bhagat Singh if necessary’
Udhay Bhanu Chib's mother Rajni Bala, who is in Jammu currently, appeared unfazed after her son's arrest and said that she was proud of him.
She said that her son says they follow the path of Gandhi and if needed, they can become Bhagat Singh too, adding that today, a Bhagat Singh is needed.
“My son said that we follow Gandhi's path and can even become Bhagat Singh if necessary, and I'm proud of him. Today, we need Bhagat Singh, and I urge all young people to become Bhagat Singh and think about their country. Those who protested haven't committed any crime,” she said while talking to news agency ANI.
Reacting sharply to the criticism that the protest was “embarrassing” at a global event, she brought up the Galgotias University controversy.
“When Galgotias University presented China's robot as their own on the first day of the summit, claiming it was their innovation, then we weren't embarrassed in front of the world?” she said.