India condemns disruption of CJI Surya Kant's lecture at London event
India has strongly condemned the disruption of a lecture delivered by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant in London, describing the incident as unacceptable and inconsistent with the principles of respectful dialogue.
The criticism came after a section of the audience interrupted a question-and-answer session following the Chief Justice's lecture on "Artificial Intelligence and International Law" at Birkbeck College in London on June 4. Some attendees attempted to raise questions relating to alleged suppression of dissent in India and comments made by the Chief Justice in a separate context.
According to videos circulating on social media, a member of the audience referred to concerns raised by certain observers regarding dissent in India before being stopped by the event moderator. The moderator stated that the questions were unrelated to the subject of the lecture and therefore outside the scope of the discussion.
Reacting to the incident, the Indian High Commission in London issued a statement condemning what it termed "indecorous audience behaviour". The mission said differences of opinion should be expressed through civil and respectful engagement and stressed that disruption of an academic event was inappropriate.
During his address, Chief Justice Surya Kant spoke about the growing influence of artificial intelligence on governance, commerce, warfare, public administration and the legal system. He highlighted the need for technological advancement to remain guided by constitutional values, democratic accountability and human dignity.
The Chief Justice also noted that decisions taken in the current decade would shape the future relationship between technology, freedom, justice and state power, making artificial intelligence one of the most significant challenges facing international law in modern times.
The incident has drawn attention both in India and abroad, with the High Commission reiterating the importance of maintaining decorum and constructive dialogue during public discussions involving constitutional authorities.
