Disha Ravi Arrest Farmers' Protests: Climate activist Disha Ravi's arrest over toolkit triggers outrage
New Delhi/IBNS: The arrest of 21-year old climate activist Disha Ravi in connection with the farmers' protests have triggered outrage worldwide besides sharp criticisms of the Narendra Modi government by the Indian politicians.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi tweeted a few lines from Faiz Ahmed Faiz's poem adding, "India won’t be silenced."
बोल कि लब आज़ाद हैं तेरे
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 15, 2021
बोल कि सच ज़िंदा है अब तक!
वो डरे हैं, देश नहीं!
India won’t be silenced. pic.twitter.com/jOXWdXLUzY
Congress parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor tweeted, "DishaRavi's arrest is the latest escalation in India’s crackdown on free expression & political dissent as it seeks 2 stifle the farmers’ mass protests, says the Daily Telegraph UK. Doesn’t GoI care about the damage it’s doing to its own global image?"
DishaRavi's arrest is the latest escalation in India’s crackdown on free expression&political dissent as it seeks2stifle the farmers’ mass protests, says the @dailytelegraph UK. Doesn’t GoI care about the damage it’s doing to its own global image? https://t.co/TILH9XKYkg
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 14, 2021
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "Arrest of 21 yr old Disha Ravi is an unprecedented attack on Democracy. Supporting our farmers is not a crime."
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
CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury tweeted, "(The) Modi regime thinks by arresting a grand daughter of farmers, under Sedition, it can weaken the farmers’ struggles.
In fact, it will awaken the youth of the country and strengthen the struggles for democracy."
Modi regime thinks by arresting a grand daughter of farmers, under Sedition, it can weaken the farmers’ struggles.
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) February 14, 2021
In fact, it will awaken the youth of the country and strengthen the struggles for democracy. #DishaRavihttps://t.co/xRIK1BrU9s
DMK leader Kanimozhi tweeted, "Arresting a young woman for retweeting a tweet supporting the farmers is undemocratic. I stand with Disha Ravi against this onslaught on freedom of expression."
Arresting a young woman for retweeting a tweet supporting the farmers is undemocratic. I stand with Disha Ravi against this onslaught on freedom of expression #FreeDishaRavi #IndiaBeingSilenced
— Kanimozhi (கனிமொழி) (@KanimozhiDMK) February 15, 2021
Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted, "Some serious charges applied against a 21 year old for sharing a ‘dangerous’ toolkit. As per BJP our nation is so weak that a written document about farmer agitation shared by an international celebrity will lead to its ‘breakup’ The nation is much stronger than this toolkit,BJP."
Some serious charges applied against a 21 year old for sharing a ‘dangerous’ toolkit. As per BJP our nation is so weak that a written document about farmer agitation shared by an international celebrity will lead to its ‘breakup’
— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) February 14, 2021
The nation is much stronger than this toolkit,BJP
Indian activist Trisha Shetty said in the micro-blogging site, "21 year ol’Disha Ravi arrested & sent to 5 days police custody-her crime-allegedly editing tool kit shared by Greta Thunberg, educating people on the farmers protest & how best to support-in a democratic,peaceful way. Shame on our Govt for trying to silence the best of our youth."
21 year ol’Disha Ravi arrested & sent to 5 days police custody-her crime-allegedly editing tool kit shared by @GretaThunberg, educating people on the farmers protest & how best to support-in a democratic,peaceful way.
— Trisha Shetty (@TrishaBShetty) February 14, 2021
Shame on our Govt for trying to silence the best of our youth.
Actor Siddharth said, "Standing unconditionally in solidarity and support with #DishaRavi. I'm so sorry this happened to you sister. We are all with you. Stay strong. This injustice too shall pass."
"I wonder what kind of cruel, unjust autocrat Delhi Police report to. I really wonder. Do you know?"
I wonder what kind of cruel, unjust autocrat #DelhiPolice report to. I really wonder. Do you know?
— Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) February 14, 2021
Not just Indian politicians, US Vice President Kamala Harris' niece Meena Harris too tweeted saying, "Indian officials have arrested another young female activist, 21 yo Disha Ravi, because she posted a social media toolkit on how to support the farmers' protest. Read this thread about the sequence of events and ask why activists are being targeted and silenced by the government."
"Disha's arrest closely follows that of 23 yo activist Nodeep Kaur, who's now been detained for nearly a month."
Disha's arrest closely follows that of 23 yo activist Nodeep Kaur, who's now been detained for nearly a month. #freenodeepkaur #freedisharavi https://t.co/nN3gl0fB6M
— Meena Harris (@meenaharris) February 14, 2021
UK parliamentarian Claudia Webbe tweeted, "Disha Ravi is 21 yrs. A climate activist from India she campaigns for clean air, clean water and a liveable planet She is now facing state sanctioned violence for peacefully supporting farmers Silence is not an option we must all condemn this act of suppression."
"The Farmers Protest is: A climate justice protest; A human rights protest; A gender equality protest; A class protest; A protest against food insecurity Disha Ravi is the latest to be targeted for standing up for her class."
Farmers' Protests and 'Toolkit' controversy
The Delhi Police has arrested the 21-year-old activist from Bengaluru in connection to the "toolkit" shared by teen climate activist Greta Thunberg and others on Twitter to show support for the ongoing farmers' protest against the Indian government's farm laws.
Ravi is one of the founders of the "Friday for Future" campaign.
It has been alleged that she edited the toolkit and sent it ahead.
On Feb 4, the Delhi Police lodged an FIR against the toolkit that was tweeted by Thunberg while she expressed her support to the Indian protesting farmers.
Her tweet followed the violence and chaos that erupted in the national capital during the protesting farmers' tractor rally on Jan 26.
One farmer was killed and more than 100 police personnel were injured during the tractor rally by the farmers, who are protesting against the Centre's agricultural reforms, on the country's Republic Day on Jan 26.
The Delhi Police said the toolkit was found on a social media handle ahead of the violence and indicates a conspiracy behind the chaos on Jan 26.
"If you go by the unfolding of events of January 26, it reveals a copycat execution of the action plan," the Delhi Police had said.
As a part of their probe into the matter, the Delhi Police had asked Google and some social media giants to provide information about email ids, URLs and certain social media accounts related to the creators of "toolkit" as they weres uploaded through Google doc and shared later on Twitter.
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