New Delhi [India], February 21 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam said on Saturday that the "shirtless" protest conducted by the Congress at the AI Impact Summit has "shamed the nation."
He asserted that the demonstration against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-US trade agreement was so disgraceful that even partners within the INDIA alliance are now distancing themselves from these actions.
The BJP further declared that the more Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi supports such protests, the further he will fall in the eyes of the public.
"The Congress Party's heinous actions have shamed the nation. The entire nation is protesting today on social media... Even the partners of the INDIA alliance are distancing themselves from this and criticising it. The thinking of Rahul Gandhi, the young leader of the Congress Party, who is not young, is now completely exposed. The more he supports the protests, the more he will fall in the eyes of the people..." Zafar told ANI.
However, many leaders questioned the heightened focus on the Indian Youth Congress protest at the AI Impact Summit. Congress MP Imran Masood defended the demonstration, stating that the youth are deeply upset by the alleged friendship between PM Modi and US President Trump, and suggested that the protestors' actions were driven by genuine anger over this relationship.
"...The youth is upset with the friendship of PM Modi and the US President Trump and they must have gone there in anger...Haven't they disrespected the nation by showing the products of the other nation as its own...They have sold the nation" Masood told ANI.
Meanwhile, the Patiala House Court sent four Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers, Krishna Hari, Kundan Yadav, Ajay Kumar, Narsingh in 5 days' police custody.
They have been arrested in connection with the AI Summit protest that was held at Bharat Mandapam on Friday. They were wearing T-shirts inscribed with the slogan 'India US Trade Deal Compromised'.The bail pleas of all the accused were dismissed by the court. The court rejected the bail pleas in view of the crucial initial stage of investigation, apprehension of the accused fleeing from justice, and tampering with evidence, and termed it as premature.
Delhi Police argued that the accused persons raised anti-national slogans and protested along the lines of the Gen Z protest of Nepal in order to defame the country at the international level. They protested when the international dignitaries were present at Bharta Mandapam.
Delhi police have registered a case for the alleged offences of obstructing a public servant from performing their official duty, assaulting a public servant, hate speech, criminal conspiracy, etc. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Ravi granted five days' custody of the accused persons after hearing the submissions of the Delhi police andthe additional public prosecutor (APP).