New Delhi [India], February 23 : Indian Youth Congress (IYC) National General Secretary, Shesh Narayan Ojha, on Monday defended its protest at the AI Impact Summit, saying that a "peaceful demonstration is not anti-India."
After the BJP launched a sharp attack against Congress, calling the IYC 'shirtless' protest 'anti-India,' Ojha slammed the Centre for arrests and detentions made in the case.
Addressing a press conference in the national capital, the IYC General Secretary said, "Some of our leaders peacefully protested at the AI Summit. The Centre and the BJP are trying to establish a propaganda that this was 'anti-India'. As per my understanding, a peaceful demonstration is not 'anti-India'. By calling anything against the government 'anti-India', can they escape from the issues? The protestors' message was clear that the PM is compromised."
"Youth Congress protested over this in several states, but the police lathi-charged and used water cannons. At the national level, we protested at the Jantar Mantar and our leaders were detained. They want to crush every opposition to the government. Opposing the government is not 'anti-India' and is our right. When Rahul Gandhi raised the issue in the Parliament, he was silenced. Finally, he spoke in the Parliament about the deal. The nation was not told about the negotiations, suddenly 18 per cent tariffs were announced, and that tariffs on our imports will be zero," he added, criticising the India-US trade deal framework.
Further, Ojha said that the party will stand with the IYC National President Uday Bhanu Chib, who was "detained" by the police, and seven other leaders arrested in the case. Slamming the BJP, he compared the arrests to the colonial rule times.
"When Youth Congress leaders protested against it, they were called anti-India. This is what the Britishers did. If the PM thinks he is India, then I condemn this, PM is not equivalent to the nation. Our leaders did the right thing, and we are standing by their side till they are released," the IYC General Secretary said.
This comes after the members of the Indian Youth Congress on Friday staged a protest at the Bharat Mandapam venue of the Al Impact India Summit in the national capital by removing their shirts with slogans that read, "Compromised PM".
Earlier today, Delhi Police arrested Indian Youth Congress Gwalior District President Raja Gujar, another leader Jitendra Yadav from Gwalior and former Bhind District Vice President Ajay Kumar Vimal in connection with the protest at AI Impact Summit. This marked a total of seven arrests in the case.