Controversy Erupts Over Youth Congress 'Shirtless Protest' at AI Summit

The Congress accuses the government of misusing the law following police actions against their youth wing members during the 'shirtless protest' at the AI Impact Summit. Senior leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi condemned the criminal charges and argued for the legitimacy of the protest, emphasizing the inapplicability of invoked legal sections.

The Congress party has sharply criticized the government's handling of a recent protest by its youth wing at the AI Impact Summit. The protest, dubbed the 'shirtless protest,' led to criminal charges against the participants, a move the Congress claims is an overreach of legal authority.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a senior Congress leader, expressed serious concern over what he described as a 'misuse and misapplication' of the law. He defended the protest, arguing that removing a T-shirt during a demonstration does not constitute a criminal act, and criticized the government for portraying the protest as organized violence.

Singhvi further criticized the specific legal charges, which include causing hurt and conspiring to disrupt public harmony, arguing that they are irrelevant to the actions of the protesters. He called on the judiciary to view the issue as a legitimate democratic activity rather than a criminal conspiracy.

(With inputs from agencies.)