Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 11:59am on 06 Jun 2026,Saturday India Global
A lecture by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant at Birkbeck, University of London, was disrupted after some attendees raised questions about dissent in India and his earlier "cockroach" remarks. The incident took place during a June 4 event on artificial intelligence and international law. Videos shared online showed audience members questioning the CJI over India's democratic record before the moderator declined to take up the issue, saying it was unrelated to the topic. Organisers also appealed for calm as tensions rose. The Indian High Commission in the UK condemned the disruption, calling the behaviour "indecorous" and saying differences of opinion should be expressed in a civil and respectful manner. The controversy has also revived debate over the CJI's earlier remarks made during a court hearing, which had drawn criticism and sparked online discussions.
