How are people reacting to the climate activist Disha Ravi’s arrest? Here is why they find the police at fault
Who is Disha Ravi? Is the 22-year-old activist really a threat to the establishment?
Another day, another example of bigotry blooming in the air. What harm can a 22-year-old climate activist bring by helping formulate a toolkit and sharing it on social media? And further, the toolkit was being used by the climate activist, Greeta Thunberg who has obviously been in news recently for interfering in the national matters of the country. Well, keeping that aside, Ravi was then arrested by the cyber unit from her house in North Bengaluru with the allegations of sharing the toolkit on her social media related to the farmers’ protest, which they say is against the law and aims to suggest opening up trade in agriculture.
What is this toolkit document about?
A toolkit is essentially a term given to a document that has all the relevant information about any topic, petition, mass agitation, etc. Disha Ravi also created a toolkit for the same purpose in the light of the ongoing farm protest. The toolkit continues, evidently, to outline the condition of farmers in India and to discuss the Centre’s latest agricultural legislation and Disha was a part of the group that drafted it. She did closely administered the sharing and propagation of the toolkit too. The police speculate Ravi and other members who drafted the document have connections with Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation. The police also mention that the toolkit has sections that ask for digital strikes through hashtags on January 26th, and Twitter from January 23 onwards.
Read more: Is Delhi the ‘crime capital’ of the country?
This morning, the Delhi Chief Minister, Mr Arvind Kejriwal tweeted about the activist calling her arrest, an unprecedented attack on democracy.
Arrest of 21 yr old Disha Ravi is an unprecedented attack on Democracy. Supporting our farmers is not a crime.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 15, 2021
Why are people calling the police wrong?
Disha, on Saturday, was picked up from her house in Soladevanahalli where she lives with her mother and was told that she is being taken for questioning and the next information came was that Disha is taken to Delhi and is reportedly arrested, reports The Hindu.
The members of the civil society have strongly condemned the Duty Magistrate of the Patiala House court of New Delhi who remanded her for five days custody without her being represented by the council. The questions are that why didn’t the magistrate, as per law waited for the accused to have counsel or didn’t depute another counsel to her for the case. Was issuing the remand against her in the absence of counsel, right?
"Shocking abdication of judicial duties"- Senior Adv Rebecca Mammen John comments on #DishaRavi remand. pic.twitter.com/F22OieHaA4
— Manu Sebastian (@manuvichar) February 14, 2021
If arresting a 21 year old environmental activist for sharing a social media tool kit is not a sign that we have descended into police state territory, I don't know what is ?
And the intention is also to threaten young people of this country#DishaRavi— T M Krishna (@tmkrishna) February 14, 2021
Tool-kit to oppose #DishaRavi arrest.
1. Ask if she had a counsel of choice when 5 day police remand.
2. Amplify the news.
3. Ask if this makes govt look stronger or weaker
4. Keep close scrutiny on police treatment in custody.— Saba Naqvi (@_sabanaqvi) February 14, 2021
More about Disha
Ms Disha, an ex-student at Mount Carmel College, was one of the co-founders of Fridays For Future (FFF), India, an initiative led by Ms Greeta Thunberg. According to Outlook India’s report, Disha comes from a farming background, hence, her concern for the environment and climate change comes naturally to her.
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