AI Summit Protest: Delhi court grants bail to IYC president Chib
New Delhi (PTI): A Delhi court has granted bail to Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president Uday Bhanu Chib, who was arrested in connection with a protest at the India AI Impact Summit.
Chib was produced before the duty magistrate around 1 am on Saturday as his four-day police custody, granted by the court on February 24, came to an end.
Duty Magistrate Vanshika Mehta was hearing an application by the Delhi Police seeking a seven-day extension of his custody. However, she dismissed the plea and granted him bail.
Speaking to the media, Chib's counsel informed that bail was granted by the magistrate against the surety bond of Rs 50,000, and the court has also directed his client to surrender his passport and electronic gadgets.
"The duty magistrate was pleased enough to grant bail to Uday Bhanu Chib and has explained in the bail order that the police crime branch has not been able to explain the reasons for seeking extension of PC remand to Uday Bhanu Chib," the IYC president's counsel said.
On February 24, the court allowed four days of custody to the police to question Chib over his role in the AI Summit protest held at Bharat Mandapam here, during which IYC members took their shirts off to reveal anti-Modi and anti-Centre slogans on T-shirts beneath.
The summit began on February 16 and saw packed halls and long queues throughout, as tech moguls, industry leaders, policymakers, and founders thronged the venue.
The accused wore T-shirts bearing images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, with slogans against the government and the India-US trade deal.
The protesters also allegedly engaged in a protracted scuffle with security personnel and police staff deployed at the venue.
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Kerala Imam's call to open mosques for Attukal Pongala devotees goes viral
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The appeal of Palayam Imam V P Suhaib Maulavi to open mosques and Muslim houses to Hindu devotees on the upcoming Attukal Pongala festival day here has gone viral on social media platforms, with many netizens describing it as the example of the real Kerala story.
Attukal Pongala, which falls on March 3 this year, is considered one of the largest women gatherings in the world, in which lakhs of women, cutting across ages, gather in the capital city to take part in the festivities.
Maulavi, during his Friday sermon, urged the members of the Muslim community to extend hospitality to Hindu devotees arriving in the city for the Pongala festival.
In his address, he said that although Attukal Pongala is associated with a different faith and Muslims do not take part in its rituals and ceremonies, the occasion presents an opportunity to serve as gracious hosts to the thousands of women and children who visit Thiruvananthapuram as guests.
"Like last year, Pongala is being observed during the holy month of Ramadan this time as well. We must share the spirit of joy, fraternity and love that defines Ramadan with our sisters and their children who come here for Pongala," he said.
Maulavi called upon the community to arrange drinking water and Ramadan food items for the devotees and to ensure facilities for their rest.
"Arrangements should be made for their rest. Our mosques and homes should be opened to them. This is an occasion to openly demonstrate our love and brotherhood," he said.
Maulavi further stressed that the growing Islamophobia and hatred in the country and the world can be countered effectively only through love and fraternity.
He described the festival as an ideal opportunity to reinforce the message of harmony.
The Muslim cleric's speech soon went viral on social media platforms.
Cutting across religion, people shared his video clippings on various platforms and hailed his gesture as an example of the real Kerala story, harmony and brotherhood among different religions and communities in Kerala.
His appeal assumed significance in view of the ongoing row over the "Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond" movie.
