Disha Ravi is an Indian environmental activist and the founder of Fridays for Future India, the Indian branch of the environmental protection movement started by Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg in 2018. Disha caught the attention of people across the world when she was arrested on the charges. Charged with sedition and criminal conspiracy on 13 February 2021 for allegedly editing and writing the toolkit posted by Greta Thunberg on her Twitter account on 3 February 2021.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Disha Ravi was born in 1998 (age 23 years; as of 2021) in Soladevanahalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka. His full name is Disha Annappa Ravi. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with specialization in Finance from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. She further plans to pursue a master’s in conservation. Before her arrest in the toolkit case, she was working as the culinary manager at Goodmilk, a company that makes plant-based vegan food easily available to people.
family and religion
Disha Ravi’s father, Ravi Annappa, is an athletics coach in Mysore, while her mother, Manjula Nanjaiah, is a housewife. Both his parents are followers of the Lingayat religion, a religion in which only Shiva is worshipped. This religion is officially considered part of Hinduism and is practiced mostly among the people of southern India. On the other hand, Ravi does not follow any religion and calls herself an atheist.
Disha Ravi’s mother at her home
activism
Reportedly, Disha Ravi started activism in the wake of the floods, which affected her family members. He realized that large-scale climate change was causing the floods and decided to jump into climate activism. In an interview with Auto Report Africa (an African news platform), Ravi revealed the reason that inspired him to get involved in climate activism. He said,
My inspiration to get involved in climate activism came from watching my grandparents, who are farmers, struggle with the impacts of the climate crisis. At the time, I didn’t know that what they were experiencing was a climate crisis because climate education is non-existent where I’m from.
Disha Ravi displays a placard warning about climate change during a protest held in Bengaluru
She also participates in other community programs like cleaning drives and tree plantation drives.
Disha Ravi is lending a hand in cleaning garbage in her city.
As co-founder of Fridays for Future (FFF) in India, she organizes and participates in various climate strikes across Bengaluru. Speaking about the purpose of FFF during an interview in 2020, Disha said,
FFF International does not have a single goal. Earlier our goal was to declare a climate emergency. The countries that declared climate emergency did not act on it and that’s when we decided that we want climate justice where the government prioritizes climate action and ecological sustainability above everything else. We do not have any fixed demands and we want to impose different demands for different countries.
Disha Ravi sitting on a bench challenging people to debate the global climate change issue
toolkit case
On 4 February 2021, Greta Thunberg shared a toolkit in support of farmers and later removed it and uploaded an updated version of the information kit.
We stand in solidarity with #FarmersProtest In India.https://t.co/tqvR0oHgo0
– Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) 2 February 2021
The toolkit states that it aims to “enable anyone unfamiliar with the ongoing farmers’ protests in India to better understand the situation and make decisions on how to support farmers based on their own analysis”. . In contrast, Delhi Police alleged that the toolkit was an international conspiracy against India, created by a handful of Indian activists in collaboration with pro-Khalistan separatist organizations ‘Sikh for Justice’ and ‘Poetic Justice Foundation’. Police also said that the toolkit was also one of the reasons behind the violence that took place in the national capital Delhi during the farmers’ tractor parade on January 26, 2021. Delhi Police says Disha Ravi, along with Nikita Jacob (lawyer) and Shantanu Muluk (engineer) created a toolkit and shared it with others to tarnish the image of India as a nation.
to arrest
On 13 February 2021, Disha Ravi was detained for questioning by the Cyber Crime Unit of Delhi Police. He was arrested from his home in North Bengaluru. She was the first woman to be selected in this case. After lengthy interrogation, the Delhi Police booked him for criminal conspiracy and sedition and charged him with IPC sections 124 (A) (for sedition), 153 (A) (for different groups based on religion, race, place of residence). Accused of promoting enmity between. birth, residence, language), and 120(B) (for criminal conspiracy).
Disha Ravi being taken away by Delhi Police officers after her arrest in the ‘toolkit case’.
tests
On 14 February 2021, Disha Ravi was produced in the Patiala House Court, where the state prosecutor interrogated her in relation to various charges leveled against her. The prosecutor accused them of being part of an anti-national conspiracy to malign India’s image globally. He said that the toolkit edited and shared by Disha is part of an international conspiracy against India and had played a role in instigating the violence that took place in Delhi on January 26, 2021. He was also accused of maintaining links with pro-Khalistani separatists. Group. In response to the allegations against her, Disha denied being part of any international conspiracy or being associated with any separatist group. He said that he had edited only 2 lines in the toolkit. He said the content of the toolkit was aimed at garnering support for the farmers’ protest and in no way called for violence. She cried as she concluded her statement to the judge, saying,
I was just supporting the farmers, I supported the farmers because they are our future and we all need to eat.
After the hearing was over, the court sent him to police custody for 5 days. After the end of 5 days of police custody on February 19, Disha was again produced before the single bench of Additional Sessions Court Judge Dharmendra Rana. During the hearing, Disha gave several statements through her lawyer. One of these statements was,
Delhi Police gave permission to the farmers’ march, on which they are claiming that I (Ravi) had asked people to join, so how did I become a traitor. If highlighting the farmers’ protest globally is treason, then it is better for me to stay in jail.”
After a three-hour hearing, the court reserved Disha’s bail order till 23 February 2021 and sent her to judicial custody for three days.
Environmental activist Disha Ravi (second from right) being produced by Delhi Police at Patiala House Court in New Delhi on 19 February 2021
Highlights of bail and bail order
After being behind the bars for 9 days, on 23 February 2021, Disha Ravi was granted bail in the toolkit case.
Disha Ravi outside Delhi’s Tihar Jail after being released on bail.
Reportedly, the bail was granted after the police failed to produce any legal evidence that could prove Disha Ravi guilty of any illegal activity. In the 18-page bail order, Additional Sessions Court Judge Dharmendra Rana presented several reasons for releasing him on bail.
Assistant Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana
ASJ Dharmendra Rana said this while granting bail to Disha Ravi.
- One of the key arguments presented against Disha Ravi in the court was that Disha’s alleged associates, Nikita Jacob and Shantanu had participated in a Zoom call meeting of the farmers’ protest, which was also attended by some pro-Khalistan elements of the PJF. Were. And 60-70 other people from different parts of the world. On this the court said,
Mere involvement with persons of dubious credentials is not impeachable, the purpose of the involvement is relevant to decide culpability.”
- Another argument given in the court was that Disha had links with the Republic Day violence in Delhi. On this, the court said that even though hundreds of people have been put behind the bars for the Republic Day violence, still no evidence has been presented before the court linking Disha Ravi with the real culprits of the Republic Day violence.
- The court also said that sharing a platform with people who oppose government policies or have a separatist mindset cannot lead to the assumption that the person also supports their tendencies. The judge quoted,
In the absence of any evidence to the effect that the applicant/accused had agreed or shared a common objective with the founders of PJF to commit violence on 26th January, it cannot be assumed by resorting to inference or presumption that “He also supported separatist tendencies or the violence on January 26 happened just because he shared a stage with those who had gathered to protest against the law.”
- Talking about the controversial toolkit, the Court said that after going through the document it can be concluded that no part of the informative toolkit calls for violence.
- Apparently the toolkit which Disha had slightly edited and shared on her social media account included garnering international support for the farmers’ protest in India. On this the court suggested,
There are no geographical barriers in communication. A citizen has a fundamental right to use the best means of providing and receiving communications, as long as it is permitted under the four corners of the law and thus has access to an audience abroad.
- According to the Delhi Police report, Disha Ravi had created a WhatsApp group named “International Farmers Strike”. He had also added many anonymous people to the group. Another allegation against him was that of editing the toolkit. On this the judge said,
In my considered opinion, creating a WhatsApp group or being an editor of a harmless toolkit is not a crime.
- The court found that all the evidence presented before it was ‘weak and incomplete’. Thus, he found no logical reason to pursue police or judicial custody of the accused. Additional Sessions Court Judge Dharmendra Rana concluded the bail order saying,
Considering the scant and incomplete evidence available on record, I do not find any clear reason for violating the general rule of ‘bail’ against a 22 year old young lady, whose criminal history is absolutely flawless and who has strong roots in the society . , and send him to jail.”
Facts/General Knowledge
- According to a report published by The Indian Express, Disha Ravi became a vegetarian after starting activism for environmental causes.
- Disha Ravi has a German Shepherd dog.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn