Four members of the Indian Youth Congress were detained on Friday after staging a shirtless protest inside Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, the venue of the ongoing AI Impact Summit 2026.
According to Delhi Police, the incident occurred around 12:30 pm on Day 5 of the summit. The protesters had registered online and entered the premises after QR code verification. Once inside near Hall 5, they allegedly removed their sweaters and jackets to reveal T-shirts bearing protest messages and began raising slogans against the Narendra Modi-led government.
Additional CP Devesh Kumar Mahla said the group had concealed the T-shirts under winter clothing to bypass security scrutiny. “They entered through proper registration. Near Hall 5, they removed their sweaters and protested while waving their T-shirts. Legal action is being taken,” he said.
Police identified the four detainees as Krishna Hari, 35, National Secretary and a resident of Bihar; Kundan Yadav; Ajay Kumar; and Narasimha Yadav, who serves as National Coordinator of the organisation.
FIR Registered, Conspiracy Angle Under Scanner
Senior police sources said a First Information Report (FIR) is being filed under applicable sections of law. Investigators are probing whether the demonstration was pre-planned.
Sources indicated that during questioning, the protesters revealed they had initially considered using black umbrellas as part of their demonstration but abandoned the idea fearing detection. Police are also examining where the printed T-shirts were produced and whether others were involved in organising the protest.
Youth Congress Defends Action
In a statement, the Indian Youth Congress said its workers were raising their voice against what it described as a “compromised Prime Minister” at the summit. Uday Bhanu Chib, National President of the outfit, said the organisation would not be intimidated and would continue to speak out on issues concerning the youth. He also expressed support for senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Attendees Call Protest Inappropriate
The protest took place as delegates from India and abroad attended sessions at the AI Impact Summit 2026, which began on February 16. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the gathering on Thursday, highlighting themes such as child safety, democratisation of Artificial Intelligence and the need for stronger regulatory guardrails.
Some attendees criticised the disruption, saying such protests were inappropriate at an international event focused on technology and innovation. Police said the situation was swiftly brought under control and summit proceedings continued without further interruption.
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