Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday praised members of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and said peaceful protest was a democratic right, following the arrest of IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib.

'Peaceful protest is our historical legacy. It is in our blood and is the democratic right of every Indian. I am proud of my Babbar Sher comrades in the Youth Congress, who have fearlessly raised their voices in the interest of the country against the ‘COMPROMISED PM’, Gandhi wrote on X.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the party will continue exposing the government for the "blatant lies it propagates" and used the acronym "MODI - Murder of Democracy in India" to take a swipe at the PM.

He said the Congress will continue exposing this government for the "blatant lies it propagates" and will unflinchingly fight this "murder of democracy".

"The INC condemns in the strongest possible terms the brazenly illegal arrest of the IYC President and Youth Congress workers for what was clearly a peaceful and legitimate protest," Ramesh wrote on X.

"The PM is clearly rattled by the disclosures in the Epstein files. He is also facing the mounting anger of farmers due to his betrayal of their interests and his surrender to President Trump on the trade deal," Ramesh claimed.

"This is nothing but the politics of harassment. The PM is desperate to divert attention away from the uncomfortable truths about him and his regime that the people of our country have recognised," he said.

Ramesh said those who are afraid intimidate and asserted that the Congress will not be deterred.

"It will continue exposing this government for the blatant lies it propagates. The INC will unflinchingly fight this Murder of Democracy in India," he said.

Asked about Chib's arrest, Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera told PTI Videos, "It is the duty of the opposition to protest in a democracy but a dictator will never understand this."

"If you hear the speech of that dictator in Meerut recently you will get to know that the word democracy does not exist in his dictionary," Khera said, in a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Khera, who is in Bhopal for the party's Kisan Maha Chaupal against the India-US interim trade deal, said, "This shows that Narendra Modi is scared of dissent and questions being asked of him. Narendra Modi is emerging as the most cowardly Prime Minister in the world. He is being blackmailed, he is a coward, he is scared.”

Delhi Police arrested Chib on Tuesday morning after 20 hours of interrogation. A Delhi court put Chib in four-day police custody and also added charges of rioting.

Police have added sections 191(1) (rioting) and 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot- if rioting be committed; if not committed) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in the case.

Addressing a press conference, Special Commissioner of Police (Crime and Police Management & Media Cell) Devesh Chandra Srivastva described the accused as 'aggressive elements' and said that a premeditated attempt was made to breach the security cordon in the presence of dignitaries, delegates and visitors attending the international event.

"On February 20, 2026, while the India AI Impact Summit was underway at Bharat Mandapam, a premeditated attempt was made to breach the security cordon in the presence of dignitaries, delegates and visitors attending the international event. The aggressive elements were immediately overpowered. During the process of restraining them, some police personnel deployed on duty sustained injuries," he said.

He added that during the course of investigation, many individuals were seen in CCTV footage from the event venue and surrounding areas.

"The involvement of several other persons has also been detected, who were allegedly assisting the aggressive elements in various ways in carrying out the act," the Special CP said.

He said to unearth the entire conspiracy, continuous coordination is being maintained with police authorities of other states and raids are being carried out.

"During investigation, Sections 191(1) and 192 of the BNS have also been added. Based on the investigation so far, it has emerged that the offence was committed as part of a deep-rooted conspiracy, and substantial evidence in this regard has been obtained," he said.

Police had earlier arrested seven Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers, including three from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, for the protest at the Bharat Mandapam last Friday. They have been identified as Jitendra Yadav, Raj Gujjar and Ajay Kumar.

In addition, IYC's Uttar Pradesh general secretary Ritik alias Monty Shukla has been detained from Lalitpur in the state.

Senior officers said additional force has been deployed at the sensitive points, particularly in New Delhi, a hotspot for political demonstrations.

Security has been tightened around the Tilak Marg police station, where Chib is held, while barricades have been put up at the strategic points, with anti-riot teams on standby.

Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) and additional companies of paramilitary forces have also been placed on alert to respond to any law and order situation, officials said.

Senior officers have directed the field staff to ensure that traffic movement remains smooth.

On Friday, a group of IYC workers protested inside Hall No. 5 of the AI Summit Expo venue by removing their shirts to reveal T-shirts printed with slogans against the government and the India-US interim trade deal, before being whisked away by security personnel.

Modi, while addressing a public gathering on Sunday in Meerut, after inaugurating development projects, including the Namo Bharat rail and the Meerut Metro Rail extension, said: “They (Congress) turned a global event of India into an arena for their 'gandi aur nangi' (dirty and shameless) politics. Congress leaders arrived at the venue in front of foreign guests after taking off their clothes.