New Delhi, Feb 24 (NationPress) Former Uttar Pradesh DGP Vikram Singh has labeled the Youth Congress's shirtless demonstration during the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi as profoundly disgraceful, calling for more stringent police actions against the participants.

The protest transpired on February 20 at Bharat Mandapam during the summit, with Youth Congress activists stripping off their shirts to reveal anti-government and anti-Modi messages on their inner T-shirts, thereby causing a disruption to the event that aimed to highlight India's progress in artificial intelligence.

In an interview with IANS, Vikram Singh denounced the protest, stating it surpassed all reasonable boundaries and was inappropriate for a prestigious forum intended to bolster India’s international image.

He emphasized that with significant investments and substantial funds allocated for organizing such events, there was no excuse for such interruptions.

Singh urged law enforcement to adopt more rigorous measures beyond the arrests already enacted.

Former DGP Arvind Kumar Jain shared similar sentiments, describing the protest as a calculated operation that should have been thwarted on-site, especially given the extensive security presence. He raised concerns about the minimal arrests made initially despite the numerous officers on duty.

Jain pointed out that while dissent can be expressed in various ways, compromising a key international event attended by global leaders and CEOs is unacceptable, particularly when it damages India’s reputation amid announcements of significant investments in data centers and AI technologies.

Former Jammu and Kashmir DGP SP Vaid condemned the protest as a cheap act that harms the nation’s image, arguing that while governmental criticism is a facet of free speech, such actions at an international platform imply a conspiracy against India.

He highlighted that the AI Summit is expected to generate job opportunities through technology adoption, which would benefit educated youth, and urged for restraint to prevent misleading global perceptions.

Vaid added that genuine strength arises from constructive engagement rather than actions detrimental to national dignity.

The situation escalated with the arrest of Youth Congress National President Uday Bhanu Chib, who was remanded to four days in police custody by a Patiala House court on February 24.

The Delhi Police have made several arrests in connection to the incident, including the addition of rioting charges, characterizing the protest as a deep conspiracy aimed at tarnishing India's international standing.

The Congress party has accused the NDA government of adopting a dictatorial approach, while critics, including over 270 retired officials and judges, have released a unified statement denouncing it as a grotesque affront to national dignity and a violation of public order.

The summit, which took place from February 16-20, featured high-profile involvement and focused on responsible AI for global advancement, thus making the disruption a contentious topic regarding the balance between protest rights and national honor.