The arrest of climate activist Disha Ravi has triggered widespread outrage with politicians, activists and influencers across the country.
In a tweet, Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said, “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.”
“A ‘took kit’ to support the farmers’ protest is more dangerous than the intrusion by Chinese troops into Indian territory! India is becoming the theatre of the absurd and it is sad that the Delhi Police has become a tool of the oppressors,” Chidambaram said on Sunday.
“I strongly condemn the arrest of Disha Ravi and urge all students and youth to raise their voices to protest against the authoritarian regime,” he added.
Another Congress leader Digvijaya Singh termed the arrest of Disha Ravi as shameful. “Who’s 21-yr-old Disha Ravi arrested over ‘toolkit’ shared by Greta Thunberg? Absolutely shameful. A young Activist concerned with Global Climate Change being prosecuted on weird charges!!” Digvijaya Singh tweeted.
“If so then youngsters like Malala and Greta Thunberg would be criminals!! Where are we heading?” Singh asked.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called Disha’s 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,” Kejriwal tweeted.
On Sunday, Delhi Police in a tweet said, “Disha Ravi, arrested by CyPAD Delhi Police, is an Editor of the Toolkit Google Doc & key conspirator in document’s formulation & dissemination. She started WhatsApp Group & collaborated to make the Toolkit doc. She worked closely with them to draft the Doc.”
“In this process,they all collaborated with pro Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation to spread disaffection against the Indian State. She was the one who shared the Toolkit Doc with Greta Thunberg,” it reads.
“Later, she asked Greta to remove the main Doc after its incriminating details accidentally got into public domain. This is many times more than the 2 lines editing that she claims,” police added.
Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha also questioned the government over the arrest of Disha Ravi.
Sinha wrote, “…but in the era of women empowerment, now, what is this happening Hon’ble Sir?Educated, climate activist of highest order, with a bright future ahead environmental #DishaRavi, 22yrs old young girl, has been arrested & sent to 5 days police remand. Very strange, don’t you think that what is right for Peter, should be right for Paul? Many people, including top journalists are in hiding or not even charged with any chargesheet. Here is one girl, who seems to be committed to the environment and the nation.”
Sinha added, “Hope, wish & pray, that it isn’t being done to divert the attention from main issues and the farmers most justified demands? Hon’ble CJ Sir, it’s hoped that good sense will prevail upon our people &/or divine justice will be meted out to her,soon, sooner the better. Jai Hind!”
