‘Toolkit’ Case: Activists, Environmentalists, Politicians Stand with Disha Ravi, Demand Her Release

Social activists, environmentalists and politicians (not belonging to the National Democratic Alliance) across India have called for immediate release of 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi who was arrested in the 'toolkit' document case and sent to five days police custody.

Ravi, the founder of climate justice movement ‘Fridays for Future’, was arrested on Saturday from Bengaluru for allegedly sharing with Greta Thunberg the ‘toolkit’ related to the farmer's protest against the Centre's three new agriculture laws. The Delhi Police have claimed that Ravi was an editor of the "toolkit Google doc" and "key conspirator" in the document's formulation and dissemination.

Also Read: Greta ‘Toolkit’: Senior Lawyers Question Activist Disha Ravi’s Arrest, Remand Without Counsel

ACTIVISTS STAND WITH DISHA RAVI

Kavita Krishnan, the secretary of All India Progressive Women's Association, said people like Ravi were India's best hope as they were concerned about not just themselves, but the future generations.
She also said it was not the behaviour of a democracy to equate protests with conspiracy. "We are not behaving like a democracy right now. If we are going to equate protest with conspiracy and organising protests as conspiracy, then you are not a democracy anymore," Krishnan said.

"Youth and environmental activists are the pride of their home countries & the entire globe. They're fighting for our futures.  #ToolkitsAreNoConspiracy," Krishnan said on Twitter while sharing a petition to release Ravi and tagging the Prime Minister’s Office. 

. @PMOIndia Immediately release #DishaRavi. Youth and environmental activists are the pride of their home countries & the entire globe. They're fighting for our futures. #ToolkitsAreNoConspiracy
Please Sign & Share the Petition! https://t.co/GzdTdDbl7y via @ChangeOrg_India

— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) February 14, 2021

Public Interest Lawyer Prashant Bhushan shared the statement of the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reform saying the arrest of Ravi was “illegal” as the police allegedly did not obtain a transit remand from a competent Bengaluru court to bring Ravi to Delhi. It also said the Duty Magistrate who ordered Ravi’s police custody for five days violated norms by giving the order while Ravi allegedly did not have access to a legal counsel.

Rights activist Shabnam Hashmi also questioned the basis of Ravi's arrest, saying anybody even doing a local campaign prepares a toolkit.

"We should look at the prime minister's campaign toolkit. We are crossing the limits of absurdity. We will become a laughing stock internationally," she said. Hashmi condemned the arrest and said, ”We demand police makes FIR available immediately. Delhi police is going to various parts of India threatening to arrest young activists.”  

Nine-year-old climate activist Licypriya Kangujam called it an attempt to silence the voices of young girls and women in the country. "This is an attempt to silence the voices of young girls and women in this country. But this will not stop us from fighting for our planet and future," Kangujam tweeted. 

Arresting 21 years old climate activist is never a proof of a strong nation. I feel very sad.? This is an attempt to silence the voices of young girls & women in this country. But THIS WILL NOT STOP US from fighting for our planet & future.#ReleaseDishaRavi #StandWithDishaRavi

— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) February 15, 2021

Carnatic singer and activist  TM Krishna said that the arrest was a cause for concern and questioned whether “we have descended into police state territory”.

In a statement by the Coalition for Environmental Justice in India, more than 50 academics, artists and activists voiced support for Ravi and called her arrest “disturbing,” “illegal in nature" and an "over-reaction of the State”.  

"It is also becoming increasingly clear that the current actions of the central government are diversionary tactics to distract people from real issues like the ever-rising cost of fuel and essential items, widespread unemployment and distress caused due to the lockdown without a plan, and the alarming state of the environment," the statement said. An online petition has also been started by the group  demanding the immediate release of the climate activist.

Several youth-based environmental collectives on Sunday issued a joint statement condemning the arrest of Ravi. Expressing worry about her safety, they said, “It is our firm opinion that the government needs to stop viewing everyone who disagrees with its policies as enemies and rather learn to work with the people who have elected them to power.”

Also Watch: Disha Ravi Arrest: 'Govt Fishing for Evidence When There is None'

POLITICIANS CONDEMN ARREST

Congress leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Ravi’s arrest “has exposed the cracks in the Indian democracy” under PM Narendra Modi. “How can the act of supporting farmers be charged under sedition?” he asked. 

The arrest of Disha Ravi, a climate activist, has exposed the cracks in the Indian democracy under @narendramodi.

How can the act of supporting farmers be charged under sedition?

I strongly condemn this politically motivated act by Delhi Police. pic.twitter.com/JLOXsNZIVI

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) February 15, 2021

Senior Congress leader and former Union finance minister P Chidambaram said "the Indian state must be standing on very shaky foundations" if a young activist and student like Disha Ravi has become "a threat to the nation." 

The Indian state must be standing on very shaky foundations if Disha Ravi, a 22 year old student of Mount Carmel college and a climate activist, has become a threat to the nation

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) February 14, 2021

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also backed the young activist. “Arrest of 21 yr old Disha Ravi is an unprecedented attack on Democracy. Supporting our farmers is not a crime,” he tweeted. 

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

Congress’ Karnataka MP Jairam Ramesh said, “the arrest and the manner of arrest of green activist Disha Ravi shows clearly the intensifying Murder Of Democracy in India.” Sharing the news of a non-bailable warrant against activist and lawyer Nikita Jacob in the same ‘toolkit’ case, he expressed apprehension that more such cases will follow. 

The arrest and the manner of arrest of green activist Disha Ravi shows clearly the intensifying Murder Of Democracy in India. But the young in India cannot be silenced. More power to them!

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) February 15, 2021

Thol. Thirumavalavan, MP from Tamil Nadu and head of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) also condemned the arrest and demanded Ravi’s release. 

VCK strongly condemns the arrest of environmental activist Disha Ravi (22) by Amit Shah's Delhi Police for a tweet in support of the farmers struggle. We demand her immediate release. #DishaRavi #VCK pic.twitter.com/M0X8jYx0m9

— Thol. Thirumavalavan (@thirumaofficial) February 15, 2021

 DMK leader MK Stalin and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee also condemned the arrest of the activist.

"Shocked by the police arrest of Disha Ravi on flimsy charges. Silencing critics of the government through authoritarian means is not the rule of law," Stalin tweeted.

"I urge the BJP government to desist from taking such punitive action and instead listen to the voices of dissent from young persons," he said.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party’s Mumbai unit has called for a protest against Ravi’s arrest at Carter road Amphitheatre at 4 pm on Monday. A citizen’s protest and a demonstration by All India Students’ Association have also been called on Monday at Mysore Bank Circle in Bengaluru, the city Ravi stays in.

According to media reports, Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the joint platform of farmer organisations leading the ongoing farmers protests, has also condemned the Delhi Police’s move to arrest Ravi.

The news of Ravi's arrest also drew international reactions. Claudia Webbe, a British MP from Leicester East, called for condemnation of Ravi’s arrest and said she was “facing state sanctioned violence for peacefully supporting farmers.”

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#FarmersProtest

— Claudia Webbe MP (@ClaudiaWebbe) February 14, 2021

Meena Harris, American lawyer and niece of US Vice-President Kamala Harris, also tweeted on the incident and said, "ask why activists are being targeted and silenced by the government." 

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. https://t.co/ycUgDEqwdF

— Meena Harris (@meenaharris) February 14, 2021

As the police claim Ravi worked with others to create and spread the toolkit to allegedly create disaffection about India in the world, many Twitter users noted that the arrest of a 21-year-old climate activist is what is actually damaging the image of the nation.

Thunberg, a teen climate activist, had shared the "toolkit" to lend her support to the farmers agitation against the three farm reform laws. In the document, various urgent actions, including creating a Twitter storm and protesting outside Indian embassies, were listed which were needed to be taken to support the farmers protest.

(With inputs from PTI)