Delhi Police nabs 3 IYC workers in Gwalior, total arrests 7; BJP demands Rahul’s apology
NEW DELHI, Feb 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the entire world wholeheartedly praised India’s potential at the just-concluded AI Impact Summit, demonstrating that the mindset of India’s young talents in technology will be of great benefit to humanity.
The AI Impact Summit 2026, held in New Delhi last week, concluded with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact, marking a significant milestone in global cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI).
“The entire world wholeheartedly praised India’s potential at the historic AI Summit held in Delhi. This demonstrates that the mindset of our young talents in technology is going to be of great benefit to all of humanity,” Modi wrote on X in Hindi.
The New Delhi Declaration has been endorsed by 89 countries and international organisations, reflecting a broad-based global consensus on leveraging AI for economic growth and social good.
Global leaders, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Swiss President Guy Parmelin, and CEOs from leading technology companies from around the world, were among those present at the summit.
Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Disanayaka, Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Croatia Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic, Seychelles Vice President Sebastien Pillay, Estonia President Alar Karis, and Finland Prime Minister Petteri Orpo also attended the event.The summit, with the theme ‘Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay’ (Welfare for all, happiness of all), aimed to position India as a leader in AI, envisioning a future in which AI advances humanity, fosters inclusive growth, and safeguards the planet.
It brought together more than 500 global AI leaders, including CEOs/CXOs, around 100 CEOs and founders, 150 academicians and researchers, and 400 CTOs, VPs, and philanthropists.
It also engaged more than 100 government representatives and around 60 ministers and vice ministers.
BJP TARGETS RAHUL
The BJP demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi over the “shirtless” protest at India AI Impact Summit last week, saying not just Congress allies, even leaders of his party have started criticising it.
This came after veteran Congress leader and former Union minister Margaret Alva reportedly criticised the Congress’ youth wing’s protest at the summit, saying that there must be “dignity, discipline and a sense of responsibility” at an international event.
Latching on to Alva’s remarks, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said the “entire country” is perturbed over the Youth Congress’ “nangi (shameless) protest” and now voices against it have started emerging from within the Congress as well.
“Congress allies have already expressed their disapproval (to the youth Congress protest). You must have heard what Akhilesh Yadav said,” Trivedi said at a press conference at the BJP headquarters here.
Trivedi said the Congress should now understand that not just allies and people of the country, but its own party leaders have started “rejecting” it because of the ideas it supports.In a post on X, Trivedi alleged that Alva has exposed Gandhi’s brazen politics and also shown him a mirror with her remarks about the protest at the AI summit.
“Rahul Gandhi has completely come into the grip of foreign toolkit,” the BJP leader said in the post.“Everybody is condemning Rahul Gandhi’s shameless mindset of lowering the reputation of the country. Will Rahul apologise for the anti-India protest staged at 2026 India AI Impact Summit?” Trivedi added.
ARRESTS
Delhi Police has made seven arrests, including three from Gwalior, in connection with the “shirtless” protest by the Indian Youth Congress workers at the AI Impact Summit here last week, an official said on Monday.
Charges of promoting enmity between groups and assertions harmful to national integration were added to the FIR against them.
Jitendra Yadav, Raj Gujjar and Ajay Kumar were apprehended from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, taking the total number of arrests in the case to seven, police said.
Police have also detained IYC’s Uttar Pradesh general secretary Ritik alias Monty Shukla from Lalitpur in UP and questioning IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib.
Police have added BNS sections including 196 (promoting enmity between different groups…and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 197 (assertions prejudicial to national integration).The punishment under these sections include imprisonment which may extend to three years. (PTI)
