Toolkit on Farmers Protest: Students hold protest in Bengaluru, demands Disha Ravi's release

Several student activists held a protest in Bengaluru while the Coalition for Environmental Justice in India demanded the release of the 21-year-old climate activist who was arrested by Delhi Police in connection with the 'toolkit' on farmer protests, which was shared by Greta Thunberg. Disha Ravi has been remanded to police custody for five days.

The students staged a peaceful demonstartion and handed over saplings to the police, demanding the release of Ravi. In a statement, the Coalition for Environmental Justice in India termed Disha's arrest "extra-judicial abduction" and said Delhi Police had no regard for rule of law.

"Delhi Police's actions are all the more sinister because the 21-year old was taken to Delhi from Bengaluru with no disclosure about her whereabouts, not even to her parents...this action against an individual without following the



due process of law, and in clear violation of norms for arrests and detentions laid down by the Supreme Court, reflects absolute contempt for constitutional principles," the statement, signed by noted personalities like AC Michael, former of Delhi Minorities Commission, singer TM Krishna, Arundhati Ghosh, said.

Disha Ravi was "picked up" from her house in Soladevanahalli area of Bengaluru by a Cyber Cell team of the Delhi Police for questioning and later arrested for her alleged involvement in formulation and dissemination of the "toolkit".

"From the controversial Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2020, and in advancing laws that has drawn farmers' across India to protest, the wider public is becoming increasingly aware of the government's tendency to put corporate interests over the well-being and future of the nation," the statement said.