Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, February 15 

Politicians, actors, academics, activists and influencers across the globe have condemned the arrest of a 21-year-old climate activist for allegedly being involved in sharing with Greta Thunberg a “toolkit” on social media related to the farmers’ protest.

Also read: Non-bailable warrants issued against 2 in toolkit document case 

In a tweet, Congress leader P. Chidambaram said the “Indian state must be standing on very shaky foundations” if Disha Ravi was arrested.

Poet Rupi Kaur and US Vice-President Kamala Harris’ niece and lawyer, Meena Harris, have spoke strongly against the activist’s arrest.

Also read: Disha Ravi’s arrest: Seed of anti-nationalism has to be destroyed, says Anil Vijelhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called Ravi’s arrest “an unprecedented attack on Democracy” in a tweet.

Actor Siddharth tweeted to say that he was “standing unconditionally in solidarity and support with #DishaRavi.”

Swara Bhaskar tweeted in support of Ravi.

Kavita Krishnan, the secretary of All India Progressive Women’s Association, said people like Ravi are India’s best hope because they are concerned about not just themselves, but the future generations.

“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,” she said.

“They should immediately drop this case based upon absolutely flimsy, ridiculous and evil pretext. A toolkit is not sedition, it is not conspiracy, toolkit is for protest,” she added.

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.

Sunita Narain, head of the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment, also extended her support to the arrested activist.

“We know #climatechange is an existential threat. World desperately needs the passion and commitment of the youth and their loud and strong voice to shake it to more action #FreeDishaRavi,” she tweeted.

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.

In a joint statement, 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”.

The statement issued under the banner of ‘Coalition for Environmental Justice in India’ also called it an attempt to distract the public.

“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,” it said.

An online petition has also been started by the group  demanding the immediate release of the climate activist.

Environmentalist Vikrant Tongad said the incident will be demotivational for climate activists.

“We cannot go on the merit of the case as the probe is ongoing, but the incident will be demotivational for climate activists…,” he said.

Greta 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.

A graduate in Bachelor of Business Administration, Ravi is also one of the founding members of a group named ‘Fridays For Future India’, police added. –with PTI

New Delhi, February 15 

Non-bailable warrants have been issued against two people for allegedly sharing the “toolkit” related to the farmer’s protest on social media, Delhi Police said on Monday, two days after it arrested climate activist Disha Ravi in connection with the case.

The toolkit has been cited by some critics as a “proof” of her conspiracy to fuel protests in India.

The 21-year-old activist was arrested on Saturday from Bengaluru and sent to five days police remand on Sunday by a Delhi court here.

Also read: Disha Ravi’s arrest: Seed of anti-nationalism has to be destroyed, says Anil Vij

The two suspects against whom the non-bailable warrants have been issued include Nikita Jacob and Shantanu, police said, adding that the duo was allegedly involved in preparing the document and was in direct touch with “pro-Khalistani elements”.

“Non-bailable warrants have been issued against Nikita Jacob and Shantanu. The two are wanted in connection with the toolkit case. They are suspected to be involved in preparing the documents and were also in direct interaction with pro-Khalistani elements,” a senior police officer said.

Also read: Politicians, actors, influencers across the globe condemn arrest of activist Disha Ravi

Nikita Jacob moves HC for transit bail

Jacob approached the Bombay High Court on Monday seeking transit anticipatory bail.

A Delhi court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Jacob and another accused in the case.

Jacob’s plea seeking urgent hearing was mentioned before the Bombay High Court’s single bench of Justice P D Naik on Monday.

The high court said it would hear the plea on Tuesday.

Jacob in her plea sought transit anticipatory bail for a period of four weeks so that she can approach the court concerned in Delhi to apply for a pre-arrest bail.

The Delhi police on Saturday arrested 21-year-old environmental activist Disha Ravi from Bengaluru in connection with the case.

She was on Sunday produced before a Delhi court which remanded her in police custody for five days.

Greta Thunberg, a teen climate activist, had shared the “toolkit” to lend her support to the farmers’ agitation near Delhi borders against the Centre’s three agri laws.

The toolkit has been cited by some critics as a “proof” of her conspiracy to fuel protests in India. PTI

Our Correspondent

Abohar/Sriganganagar, Feb 14

An Army vehicle caught fire today evening on the Sriganganagar-Bikaner highway. No casualties were reported, but a lot of luggage got burnt.

The Suratgarh Municipal Council rushed a fire tender to the spot. The fire was controlled by splashing water. Preliminary inquiries indicated that the vehicle was transporting a boat, and four soldiers were on board. Initially, some spark was noticed emanating from a cloth, which was immediately removed. However, the spark had spread to luggage due to high-velocity wind, a passerby informed the police. The police and fire tender controlled the fire within half-an-hour.

Our Correspondent

Fatehgarh Sahib, February 14

Baba Gurmukh Singh, 80, a Singhu protester booked and arrested by the Delhi Police following the Red Fort incident, was accorded a warm welcome by villagers as he arrived at Samaspur Singha village in Khamano subdivision after release from the Tihar Jail. Advocate AS Dharni, member of SAD’s legal team, accompanied him.

Talking to mediapersons, Gurmukh said he was a retired Army soldier and had participated in a war against Pakistan. He said he had been participating in protest since December 26 and claimed he along with 10 other farmers was arrested from the Burari ground while taking dinner.

He accused the police of pushing them into buses and assaulting them. He along with seven persons was kept in a small room in the jail. He said the protests would continue until the farm laws were repealed.

Dharni urged CM Capt Amarinder Singh to write to the Chief Justice for setting up an inquiry team to probe the alleged atrocities being committed on farmers by the Delhi Police. He said the police had started issuing notices to those who were part of the farmer protest, forcing them to move courts for bail.

Sangrur, February 14

Sixteen days in the Tihar jail and alleged humiliation at the hands of cops failed to deter 70-year-old ex-serviceman Jit Singh, who was arrested on January 28 from Burari ground in New Delhi.

As he reached his house at Khanauri town on Sunday morning, he announced to rejoin the protest against the farm laws. “On January 28 evening, some protesters, including me, were bundled up in a police vehicle. They did not allow me to even wear my trousers. I was taken to the police station in shorts. Is this the way to treat an ex-serviceman who has protected the nation and that, too, without any fault?” Jit said.

Singh owns one acre of land, while his pension and the meager salary of his son, who works as a private security guard, are the main sources of income of his family. Earlier, he worked as a “granthi” at a gurdwara of Baniyani village in Rohtak (Haryana), the native village of CM Manohar Lal Khattar.

“We have the right to protest peacefully if there is any injustice with us. The three laws will ruin farming and it’s an injustice with all farmers. I will rejoin the protest soon as I have done nothing wrong. Why should I not support my brothers?” Singh, who retired from the Army as lance naik in 1989, said. His brother-in-law Rachpal Singh said the registration of false cases could not prevent farmers from reaching Delhi. — TNS

New Delhi, February 14

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers’ unions, on Sunday condemned the arrest of 22-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi by the Delhi Police during their probe into toolkit document case and demanded her immediate release.

It also condemned Haryana Agriculture Minister J P Dalal’s comment on death of farmers protesting the three contentious farm laws and warned that people would teach him a lesson for such “arrogance”.

“The government has shamelessly admitted in Parliament that it has no data of the farmers who sacrificed their lives in the ongoing movement,” said the statement issued by SKM leader Darshan Pal.

“The SKM is maintaining a blog site where such data is readily available if the government cares. It is the same callousness which resulted in the loss of lives so far.” Condemning Ravi’s arrest, the SKM said she “stood in support of the farmers”.

“We demand her immediate unconditional release,” SKM said in the statement.

Ravi was arrested from Bengaluru by a Cyber Cell team of the Delhi Police on Saturday for allegedly sharing with Swedish teen climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg the “toolkit” related to the farmer’s protest against the Centre’s three agri laws.

The police claimed Ravi was an editor of the “toolkit Google doc” and a “key conspirator” in the document’s formulation and dissemination. She and others “collaborated with pro-Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation to spread disaffection against the Indian State”, police alleged.

At a mahapanchayat held at Indri in Karnal district of Haryana, SKM leaders warned that the BJP’s days are “numbered as more and more farmers are getting awakened”.

“Farmers’ resolve to fight unitedly, cutting across states and religions, is getting stronger with each mahapanchayat despite the government’s divisive efforts. Rural India and agriculture is the main agenda for us,” they said.

Candle marches being organised in villages and towns across the nation between 7 and 8 pm on Sunday, in support of the farmers’ demand for scrapping the agri laws and legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops.

More farmers are expected to join the protest sites in the coming days and make the movement formidably strong, the SKM said.

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and UP are protesting against farm laws at Delhi’s border points for more than 80 days. The stalemate continues despite 11 rounds of talks between the farmer leaders and the government. PTI