Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib was arrested by Delhi Police following a shirtless protest at the AI Impact Summit held at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital. The protest, which took place on 20 February 2026, involved members of the Youth Congress entering the summit venue and displaying slogans critical of the government’s India-US trade deal. Chib was detained and questioned at Tikar Marg Police Station before his formal arrest.According to The Indian Express, Uday Bhanu Chib’s arrest followed his alleged involvement in the protest, which was staged inside the exhibition hall during the AI Impact Summit. Security personnel removed the demonstrators from the venue after the incident.As reported by Hindustan Times, the Delhi Police made a total of five arrests in connection with the protest, including Jitendra Yadav, who was apprehended in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. The protestors wore t-shirts with slogans criticising the government and were subsequently detained by security officials.The Indian Youth Congress defended the demonstration, stating that peaceful protest is a democratic right and not anti-national. The organisation emphasised that opposition to government policies should not be equated with opposition to the nation.Statements from IYC National General Secretary Shesh Narayan Ojha were highlighted in subsequent reporting, where he said, “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.”“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,” Ojha stated.Police action at the protest site included the use of water cannons and lathi-charge to disperse demonstrators, as further details emerged. The Youth Congress also organised protests at Jantar Mantar, where several leaders were detained by authorities.At the national level, subsequent analysis showed that the incident drew criticism from various quarters, with some questioning the appropriateness of the protest at an international event attended by dignitaries from around the world.The Indian Youth Congress maintained that their actions were aimed at drawing attention to concerns over the India-US trade deal and the government’s handling of dissent. The organisation reiterated its stance on the right to peaceful protest as the situation developed.Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.