Overview On 21 February 2026 , members of the Shivamogga city unit of the Youth Congress staged a protest at Shivappa Nayaka Circle demanding the removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi . The demonstrators accused the Prime Minister of tarnishing India’s image abroad, mishandling a bilateral trade deal with the United States, and failing to deliver on the ‘Make in India’ agenda. The protest reflects broader political contestation ahead of the next general elections and raises questions about governance, foreign policy, and agrarian economics. Key Developments Development 1: Youth Congress workers raised slogans against the BJP and called for Modi’s immediate resignation, citing alleged references to the Prime Minister in the leaked Jeffrey Epstein files . Development 2: R. Prasanna Kumar , district president of the Youth Congress, highlighted a claim from the leaked files that U.S. President Donald Trump facilitated Modi’s 2017 visit to Israel, insinuating foreign interference. Development 3: N. Ramesh , KPCC general secretary, criticised the U.S.–India trade deal , arguing it favoured corporate American farmers and jeopardised the livelihood of Indian small‑scale cultivators. Important Facts Fact 1: The protest was led by youth leaders Madhusudan, Girish, Akbhar, Charan Shetty and others, indicating organized mobilisation at the grassroots level. Fact 2: The protest coincided with growing farmer distress post‑trade‑deal implementation, a theme that has featured repeatedly in parliamentary debates and media discourse since 2023 . UPSC Relevance This incident touches upon multiple UPSC syllabus areas: International Relations (India‑U.S. ties, diplomatic visits, and the impact of leaked documents), Economic Policies (trade agreements, agrarian distress, and the efficacy of the Make in India programme), and Polity & Governance (political opposition, protest dynamics, and accountability of the executive). Candidates may be asked to analyse the political fallout of trade deals, evaluate the role of opposition parties in a parliamentary democracy, or discuss the implications of leaked diplomatic communications on India’s foreign policy. Way Forward For a balanced policy response, the government could consider revisiting the terms of the U.S.–India agricultural trade pact to safeguard small farmers, strengthen transparency mechanisms for diplomatic engagements, and reinvigorate the Make in India initiative with measurable outcomes. Continuous monitoring of opposition protests will also be essential to maintain democratic legitimacy and address public grievances before they translate into electoral setbacks.