Shirtless Youth Congress Protest Disrupts AI Impact Summit On February 20 2026, members of the Indian Youth Congress walked shirtless through the exhibition hall of the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam, brandishing T‑shirts with anti‑government slogans and criticism of the India‑US trade deal [3][1]. The demonstration coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inauguration of the summit, which hosted heads of state and global AI leaders [3]. Security personnel removed the protesters after a brief disruption, and ten participants were later detained [1]. Police subsequently arrested four senior IYC officials, launching a wider conspiracy probe [3][2].

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju Labels Protest a Conspiracy At a BJP headquarters press conference on February 21 2026, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju denounced the IYC demonstration as a “well‑thought‑out conspiracy” and a “big sin” against the nation [1]. He described the act as shameful, accusing Congress of using youth to defame India and linking the protest to Rahul Gandhi’s alleged sadness over the country’s progress [1]. Rijiju demanded that the Congress cease “anti‑national acts” and called for accountability [1]. His remarks framed the protest as part of a broader pattern of opposition to Prime Minister Modi’s initiatives [1].

BJP Stages Counter‑Protests in Delhi and Mumbai On February 21 2026, BJP workers gathered outside the Indian National Congress headquarters on Akbar Road, chanting that the IYC protest constituted treason [3]. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and MP Manoj Tiwari accused the Congress of opposing India’s success and of damaging the nation’s image [3]. The rally was halted by police before reaching the Congress office, while a separate BJP demonstration in Mumbai displayed black flags to Rahul Gandhi as he traveled to Bhiwandi for a court hearing [4]. BJP leaders framed the black‑flag display as a response to the Youth Congress’s slogans, and security forces deployed extensive measures to prevent clashes [4].

Delhi Court Grants Five‑Day Custody to Four IYC Leaders Judicial Magistrate Ravi approved a Delhi Police request on February 21 2026 to keep four IYC officials in police custody for five days pending investigation [2]. The detained members—Krishna Hari (national secretary, Bihar), Kundan Yadav (state secretary, Bihar), Ajay Kumar (state president, Uttar Pradesh) and Narasimha Yadav (Telangana)—were accused of chanting anti‑national slogans and wearing objectionable images of Prime Minister Modi on T‑shirts [2]. Police reported injuries to three officers during the attempt to stop the protest and said they would recover the protesters’ phones and probe funding sources [2]. The youths’ lawyer argued the arrests violated democratic rights, urging equal treatment for MPs who protest in Parliament [2].