A Delhi Court came down heavily on four members of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) over their “shirtless protest" inside Bharat Mandapam during the AI Impact Summit 2026, saying that their conduct was not legitimate dissent, rather a “blatant assault on public order" that imperilled India’s diplomatic image before foreign stakeholders.
It may be recalled that the members of the IYC staged a shirtless protest inside the India AI Impact Summit held at Bharat Mandapam on February 20. Several activists entered the venue, some removing their shirts to reveal T-shirts with slogans like “PM is compromised” and criticisms of the India-US trade deal, before chanting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and government policies.
Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Ravi of the Patiala House Courts made the observation in an order passed on February 21 while remanding four IYC workers -- Krishna Hari, Kundan Yadav, Ajay Kumar and Narasimha Yadav -- to Delhi Police's custody for five days.
The court noted that the accused persons orchestrated a premeditated intrusion into the high-security precincts of Bharat Mandapam, "donned provocative T-shirts bearing offensive slogans such as 'India US Trade Deal Compromised', vociferously raised incendiary chants, obstructed public servants in the execution of their duties, and perpetrated physical assaults causing grievous injuries to police personnel".
"Such conduct palpably transcends the ambit of legitimate dissent, metamorphosing into a blatant assault on public order. It imperils not merely the event's sanctity but also the Republic's diplomatic image before foreign stakeholders, rendering it wholly unprotected by constitutional safeguards," the underscored.It also rejected the bail petition filed by all four accused, noting that they come from different parts of the country and the possibility of their interfering with the evidence cannot be ruled out.
While allowing the Delhi Police’s plea for custodial interrogation, the magistrate said that the alleged actions of the accused “imperil not merely the event’s sanctity but also the Republic’s diplomatic image before foreign stakeholders, rendering it wholly unprotected by constitutional safeguards."
“…the accused persons are alleged to have orchestrated a premeditated intrusion into the high-security precincts of Bharat Mandapam during the Al Summit 2026, a premier international conclave hosting global delegates and dignitaries," the court’s order said.While seeking custody of the arrested activists, the Police told the court that the accused donned provocative T-shirts bearing slogans such as “India US Trade Deal Compromised", raised slogans, obstructed public servants, and allegedly assaulted police personnel, causing injuries substantiated by medico-legal reports.
They further said that protests were inspired by Nepal’s violent Gen Z movement that toppled the government there.The magistrate said the alleged offences warrant “stringent scrutiny" as they posed a grave threat to public order and state security at an international forum.
Around 10 activists of the Congress’s youth wing had entered the AI Summit venue in New Delhi and staged a shirtless protest, raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-US trade deal. The protesters wore or carried white T-shirts printed with images of PM Modi and US President Donald Trump along with slogans targeting the government.Police arrested four workers and accused them of breaching the security at the venue and raising "anti-national" slogans.
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