Young environmentalist's arrest 'sinister', even parents not told of her whereabouts

By Our Representative 
The Coalition for Environmental Justice in India (CEJI), a civil society network, has said that it is “highly disturbing” that Disha Ravi, a young woman climate activist from Bengaluru was “picked up” in what is referred to as a “closely guarded operation” of the Delhi police. Disha, 21, has been remanded to police custody for five days after she was taken from Bengaluru to Delhi.
Calling it a Central government “over-reaction”, CEJI in a statement, signed by several civil society activists and citizens, said, the arrest suggests “young environmental activists, that the country should be proud of, are the latest victims of the Centre’s continuing efforts to deligitimise the ongoing farmers’ protest and the nationwide solidarity it has generated.”
Disha was “picked up” for sharing an advocacy toolkit inviting solidarity with the farmers’ protests outside Delhi, which was shared by noted teen climate change activist Greta Thunberg. Complained CEJI, Delhi police’s actions are “all the more sinister” because the 21-year-old was taken to Delhi “with no disclosure about her whereabouts, not even to her parents.”
Calling it an “extra-judicial abduction”, the statement said, “Delhi police’s disregard for the rule of law is no secret. However, 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.”
Terming Disha’s arrest “government’s heavy-handedness” in order to “terrorise and traumatise brave young people for speaking truth to power”, CEJI demanded that Disha should be immediately released and assisted to get back home to resume her life”, adding, “The current action of the Indian government amount to gagging democracy itself.”