Disha A Ravi, a Bengaluru-born climate activist who was arrested on Sunday, is the co-founder of Fridays for Future in India. She started her journey as a climate activist after seeing her grandparents, who are farmers, struggle with the problems of the climate crisis in the country.
“We live in a country where dissent is suppressed. We in Fridays For Future India were labelled terrorists for objecting to the draft EIA notification. Only a government that puts profit over people would consider asking for clean air, clean water and a liveable planet, an act of terrorism.”, Ravi had told Auto Report Africa.
In an unprecedented event, the Bengalurean was sent to five-day custody on Sunday after she allegedly helped create an 'online toolkit' or a guide to the farmer protests that was tweeted by environmentalist Greta Thunberg.
Read | Greta Thunberg toolkit case: Court sends 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi to 5-day custody
The 21-year-old had been vocal about climate and environment issues since her days in college. Her social media accounts show that she supported Green Peace campaigns, and called herself an ‘eco-feminist’. She currently works as a culinary experience manager with GoodMyIk, which is involved in making plant-based food accessible and affordable to people.
A vocal climate activist, Ravi has featured in publications across the world. In September last year, she was among four activists of colour interviewed by Vogue on countering environmental racism. “People of colour are suffering from the climate crisis first-hand — a lot of people don’t give us the attention that we need. The fact that you would choose to listen to a white person on the same issue rather than a person of colour, to me, is environmental racism,” she told the magazine.
The Guardian also mentioned her in its article about young activists calling for urgent action against climate change. “We, the people from the most affected are going to change the conversation in climate negotiations and lead a just recovery plan that benefits people and not the pockets of our government,” she was quoted in the British daily.
Ravi was also an active participant in the FFF India’s email campaigns against the draft Environment Impact Assessment 2020 plan. The campaign, last year, had led to ban of the FFF India website and two other groups under UAPA.
On Sunday, Ravi was the first person to be arrested in the ‘toolkit’ case. However, fellow activists and Opposition termed it as "completely atrocious" and "unwarranted harassment and intimidation".
Outpouring of support
A coalition of activist groups demanded Ravi's release and said it was "extremely worried for her safety and wellbeing".
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers' unions, who has been leading the farmers’ protest also condemned Ravi’s arrest. The SKM said, “SKM condemns the arrest of young climate change activist Disha Ravi, who stood in support of the farmers. We also demand her immediate, unconditional release."
Among the Opposition, Congress Rajya Sabha MP said, “Arrest of climate activist Disha Ravi is most unfortunate & shocking. Custodial interrogation of a young woman without any criminal antecedents cannot be justified.” The CPI(M) leader Yechury also took it to Twitter and stated that the “arrest will awaken the youth of the country”.
Disha also shared a video on her Twitter account titled “Is this ideology the only reason for my arrest ??”.
As of now, Delhi Police have confiscated her laptop and mobile phone for further investigation and the police are ascertaining whether she was in touch with more people involved in the case.
(With inputs from agencies)