Shirtless protest: ‘Not legitimate dissent, blatant assault on public order’

New Delhi: A Delhi court has observed that the conduct of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers arrested for protesting at the AI Impact Summit venue amounted not to legitimate dissent but to a “blatant assault on public order” that also harmed the country’s diplomatic image.

Judicial Magistrate Ravi made the remarks on Saturday while producing four IYC workers arrested for a “shirtless” protest at Bharat Mandapam. The court granted Delhi Police five days’ custody for interrogation.

In his order, the magistrate noted that the accused hailed from remote areas of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana, raising concerns about the risk of absconding. Early investigation findings also indicated possible external conspiracy links.

The court said the accused staged a premeditated breach at the AI Impact Summit, raised provocative slogans and assaulted police. Terming it a threat to public order, it cited BNS Sections 121 and 61(2). Four were arrested; others may be absconding.