New Delhi: Following the arrest of Indian Youth Congress chief Uday Bhanu Chin in connection with the shirtless protest at AI Impact Summit, the workers of the youth wing of Congress on Wednesday carried out rail roko protest in solidarity, while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra dubbed the police action as shameful.
About 50 to 100 IYC workers carried out rail roko protest at Shivaji Bridge railway station on Wednesday afternoon.
During the demonstration, several Youth Congress workers, carrying party flags, descended onto the tracks while chanting anti-government slogans and halted a MEMU train heading toward New Delhi.
Some activists sat in front of the train, while others climbed onto its front section, continuing their vociferous protests.
The Indian Youth Congress in a post on X mentioned that its workers carried out the rail roko movement against the arrest of President Uday Bhanu Chib and other comrades sent a clear message.
The post declared that resistance intensifies when democratic voices are sought to be suppressed. The organization demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the president and all comrades.
Earlier, Delhi Pradesh Congress President Devendra Yadav participated in sit in protest at IYC office, where several other senior leaders also joined.
Delhi Police arrested Chib on Tuesday morning after questioning him for over 20 hours in connection with the protest of IYC at Bharat Mandapam on February 20.
The Delhi Police has alleged Chib as the “main conspirator” and “mastermind” of the shirtless protest at the AI Summit last week, and added charges of rioting against him and six other IYC workers held earlier.
Earlier in the day, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra backed the IYC workers for protest and slammed the government for police action for raising the voice of the people as “highly condemnable” and “shameful”.
In a post on X, in Hindi she said, “Peaceful and non-violent resistance for truth is our proud heritage, inherited from Mahatma Gandhi and millions of our Indian ancestors.” “It is in the interest of 1.4 billion Indians to raise their voice against the Prime Minister and the government, who have compromised India’s interests by bowing to global pressure.”
“The action taken against Youth Congress members for raising the voice of the people is highly condemnable and shameful. The Congress Party stands firmly with the fearless soldiers of the Youth Congress,” she said.