The arrest of Youth Congress chief Uday Bhanu Chib by Delhi Police has ignited a firestorm of criticism from senior Congress leader and former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat, who views it as a blatant suppression of dissent.
In an interview with IANS from Dehradun, Rawat described the remand proceedings as deeply alarming. ‘Arresting and remanding a youth leader for expressing views on critical issues like the AI Summit protests and the detrimental India-US trade deal is an assault on free speech,’ he stated.
Rawat emphasized that the Youth Congress was merely highlighting perceived damage to India’s interests. ‘Treating protesters like hardened criminals crushes the spirit of expression. Democracy thrives on public verdict, not governmental overreach,’ he remarked. He demanded clarity on any specific legal breaches rather than vague accusations of sedition.
Joining the chorus, Randeep Singh Surjewala invoked historical revolutionaries to defend the right to protest. ‘From Bhagat Singh to today’s youth, challenging injustice through peaceful means is not a crime—it’s a duty,’ Surjewala said. He pledged unwavering support for Chib, insisting that exposing flaws in trade pacts is every citizen’s responsibility.
This episode underscores broader concerns over shrinking civic freedoms, with opposition figures warning that such tactics could silence valid critiques of policy failures and erode democratic norms.