NEW DELHI: Climate activist Disha Ravi's arrest sparked outrage, with politicians, academics, activists, authors, and poets condemning the Delhi police’s action. The 21-year-old Bengaluru based activist was arrested over a guide or toolkit to the anti-government farmer protests that was tweeted by Swedish environmentalist Greta Thunberg.
Jairam Ramesh, a former minister, called her arrest completely atrocious.
P Chidambaram, Sitaram Yechury, Shashi Tharoor, and Priyanka Chaturvedi also condemned her arrest.
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
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
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
I strongly condemn the arrest of Disha Ravi and urge all students and youth to raise their voices to protest against the authoritarian regime#ReleaseDishaRavi
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) February 14, 2021
Completely atrocious! This is unwarranted harassment and intimidation. I express my full solidarity with Disha Ravi. https://t.co/bRJOeC9MnK
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) February 14, 2021
Others who condemned her arrest include actor Siddharth, activist Trisha Shetty, and activist Japleen Pasricha. Pasricha, founder of online portal ‘Feminism In India’ explained that there is nothing wrong in editing an online toolkit.
In @BJP4India’s India terror-accused PragyaThakur gets a ticket. Anurag Thakur who leads “Goli maron” is a Minister & a 21 year ol’ climate activist gets jailed.
— Trisha Shetty (@TrishaBShetty) February 14, 2021
BJP is anti-India,anti-Constitution & anti-human rights. #KisaanMajdoorEktaZindabad
Free Disha Ravi, you cowards! https://t.co/Otv6yiLGEo
I wonder what kind of cruel, unjust autocrat #DelhiPolice report to. I really wonder. Do you know?
— Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) February 14, 2021
There's absolutely nothing wrong in creating such a toolkit and is a common practice in the social and development sector. What Disha or Greta did is not a crime and Disha should NOT be arrested for editing a document in a functional democracy. #DishaRavi #GretaToolkit
— Japleen Pasricha (@japna_p) February 14, 2021
Garnering international attention, activist Meena Harris, also the sister of US vice president Kamala Harris, condemned her arrest.
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
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Friends and family described Disha Ravi as a passionate activist who voiced for climate change.
She was the voice of India at the Global Climate Week event organised by Fridays for Future (FFF) conducted last year.
She was part of the FFF movement’s international MAPA (Most Affected People and Areas) wing.
MAPA means countries and peoples of the developing world who bear the brunt of carbon emissions and climate change.