Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi defended Youth Congress workers and said he was “proud” of his comrades Babar Sher.
Senior Congress party leaders jumped to the defense of its youth wing, the Indian Youth Congress, and its president Uday Bano Shib after the latter was arrested by Delhi Police on Tuesday over a shirtless protest at the venue of last week’s AI Impact Summit on Friday.
Uday Bano was arrested by Delhi Police on Tuesday and was sent to police custody for four days in connection with the protest. While the judicial magistrate issued the order, Youth Congress members staged protests and blocked the road outside the Patiala House court on Tuesday.
In his defence, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge sought to allege that BJP leader and union minister Nitin Gadkari, along with other BJP members, also created “mayhem” during the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
Also read: ‘Naked dirty politics’: PM Modi slams Congress over ‘shirtless’ protest at AI summit
Responding to the BJP’s criticism that an event on an international scale hosting several foreign dignitaries was not a place to hold a protest and was “anti-national”, Karg said: “What did Nitin Gadkari and other BJP members do when the Commonwealth Games were going on? Didn’t these people go to every event and create chaos there? At that time, they had no idea about nationalism. Weren’t they concerned about patriotic sentiments, keeping the nation united, and what message would be sent to the many athletes who come from all over the country?” PTI reported. Annie news.
Kharji added: “Stop trying to educate others, stop educating others, and look at your behaviour… Don’t educate us. Instead of harassing the Youth Congress members, you should let them go.”
Also Read: “Endangers the image of the Republic”: Delhi court over shirtless protest by Youth Congress at AI Summit
“I am proud of my Babar Sher comrades.”
Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also defended the Youth Congress workers and said he was “proud” of his comrades Babar Sher.
He said the arrest of Udhay Bhanu and other Youth Congress members over the protest was “evidence of dictatorial tendencies and cowardice.”
Reiterating his mockery of the “compromised Prime Minister” and his criticism of the Indo-US trade deal, Gandhi wrote on Farmers, the textile industry and delivering our data to America.”
Also read: ‘Lutyens over Rajaji’ for some: BJP attacks Congress as Tharoor welcomes unveiling of bust at Rashtrapati Bhavan
He added: “The Congress party and I stand firm with our comrades in Babbar Sher. Holding the mirror of truth to power is not a crime, it is patriotism. Do not be afraid – the truth and the Constitution are with us.”
“He can become Bhagat Singh if necessary.”
Udhay Bhanu Shib’s mother, Rajni Bhalla, who is currently in Jammu, seemed unfazed after her son’s arrest and said she was proud of him.
Her son says they follow Gandhi’s path and if need be, they can become Bhagat Singh too, she said, adding that today there is a need for Bhagat Singh.
While speaking to news agency ANI, she said, “My son said that we are following Gandhi’s path and we can become Bhagat Singh if need be. I am proud of him. Today, we need Bhagat Singh. I urge all the youth to become Bhagat Singh and think about their country. Those who protested did not commit any crime.”
In a sharp reaction to criticism that described the protest as “embarrassing” at a global event, Galgotias University sparked controversy.
“When Galgotias University presented the Chinese robot as its own on the first day of the summit, claiming that it was its own innovation, were we not embarrassed in front of the world?” she said.
Nikita Sharma is a senior content producer at Hindustan Times. She is a Delhi-based digital journalist with five years of experience in writing and editing news stories in various fields including crime, politics, technology, trends and much more, both nationally and internationally. At Hindustan Times, she is part of the news team and focuses on breaking news, tracking what’s happening everywhere, and constantly chasing evolving news stories. She has a penchant for covering crime, geopolitics and Indian politics with a keen eye for stories that are often overlooked in the daily news cycle. At Hindustan Times, she has extensively covered several major events including the US Presidential Election, Indian Airlines plane crash, Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, US tariff war, among others. As a Delhi enthusiast, she especially enjoys wandering around and writing about the national capital – its heritage, food, art and culture, and the many problems that come with it – pollution, waterlogging, traffic, and more. Nikita holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from GGSIPU and started working as a digital journalist in 2021. During her first assignment, she covered local news in a Delhi-based newsroom, writing and editing stories on conflicts between builders and buyers, civic issues like potholes, waterlogging, lack of facilities in hospitals in Delhi, and paralyzing the city during the peak monsoon season. She has also written articles covering Delhi art galleries, heritage walks, artist profiles, museums, Hindustani classical music concerts and dance performances. She entered mainstream news in 2023 and previously worked at NDTV.Read more
