Disha Ravi took part in agitations on environmental related issues in Bengaluru: Activists

Bengaluru, Feb 15: Climate activist Disha Ravi, arrested for allegedly sharing with Greta Thunberg the "toolkit" related to the farmer's protest against the Centre's three agri laws, had been taking part in environment related agitations in the city, some environmentalists said on Monday.

Not much is however known about "Fridays for Future (FFF)", a campaign led by Thunberg which Disha Ravi reportedly co-founded in India, even among many of the environment groups here.

The Delhi Police said Disha Ravi, who was arrested by a Cyber Cell team of the force on Saturday, was an editor of the "toolkit Google doc" and "key conspirator" in the document's formulation and dissemination.

Police alleged that Ravi and others "collaborated with the pro-Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation to spread disaffection against the Indian State." An environmental activist said here on Monday: "We have seen her (Disha Ravi) taking part in the environment related agitations here.Sometimes, it was in solitude and she appeared to maintain distance from others".

Disha Ravi graduated from a leading college here. Another environmental activist said: "FFF is not a well-known organisation in Bengaluru and their activists were hardly seen anywhere.I have seen some of its members agitating alone on the streets without much support."

Meanwhile, Bengaluru police have declined to comment on the issue and would not say whether they knew beforehand about her arrest by their Delhi counterparts. Condemning her arrest, the "All India Students' Association" on Monday staged a protest here.

Holding placards and wearing black masks, the agitators raised slogans, "Free Disha Ravi". Their placards read, "Standing for Farmers is not sedition", and "When injustice becomes law, Resistance becomes duty".