Delhi Police’s decisive intervention at the AI Summit in Bharat Mandapam resulted in four arrests after Congress Youth workers sparked a confrontation, blending politics with technology in unwelcome fashion. The disturbance on February 20 has ignited a fresh political firestorm.
Details emerging from custody reveal a foiled plan involving black umbrellas, replaced by discreet T-shirts printed for the occasion. Key arrestee Narsimha Yadav, Youth Congress National Coordinator, confessed during questioning, leading police to hunt for printing connections.
Heavy charges await the group in Patiala House Court, covering assault, unlawful assembly, and more. The protesters’ scuffles with police highlight risks to event security, prompting a full-scale conspiracy investigation.
BJP spokespersons led the charge against Congress. Shehzad Poonawalla’s witty rebuke – Congress’s AI equals Anti-India, making it ANC – went viral. Sambit Patra, in a BJP HQ briefing, pinpointed Rahul Gandhi’s home as the plot’s nerve center, with Priyanka Gandhi’s counsel, aimed at discrediting India’s AI ambitions globally.
This narrative frames Congress as saboteurs of national pride, contrasting sharply with the summit’s focus on futuristic tech. Police assure comprehensive inquiries to unearth accomplices.
Beyond immediate arrests, the event underscores challenges in balancing free speech with security at high-stakes gatherings. As India eyes AI leadership, such partisan disruptions threaten progress, demanding vigilant enforcement and political maturity from all sides.