Disha Ravi

Reactions Disha's arrest has been condemned in India and abroad. Former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh tweeted, "Completely atrocious! This is unwarranted harassment and intimidation. I express my full solidarity with Disha Ravi." The farm union Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) issued an official statement that condemned Disha's arrest and called for her "immediate unconditional release", and SKM leader Kavitha Kuruganti stated, "it is atrocious that such action was taken because of a toolkit, which is simply something that alerts citizens to what they can do to support the farmers."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "Arrest of 21 yr old Disha Ravi is an unprecedented attack on Democracy. Supporting our farmers is not a crime." BJP Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said, "everyone had the right to dissent in a democracy, but 'conspiracy' with foreigners must be stopped" and "called for thorough investigation in the farmers' protest document case." Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury stated, "Modi regime thinks by arresting a granddaughter of farmers, under sedition, it can weaken the farmers' struggles. In fact, it will awaken the youth of the country and strengthen the struggles for democracy." Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party president M. K. Stalin tweeted, "Shocked by the police arrest of Disha Ravi on flimsy charges. Silencing critics of the government through authoritarian means is not the rule of law. I urge the BJP government to desist from taking such punitive action and instead listen to the voices of dissent from young persons."

Youth-based environmental collectives also issued a statement demanding Disha's immediate release that included, "To imply that climate change activists are a danger to the peace and harmony of this country in a political climate that is highly polarized is to play fast and loose with their safety and security, especially when there is absolutely no proof to back up this claim." P. Chidambaram, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Anand Sharma, Shashi Tharoor, Meena Harris, Siddharth, Claudia Webbe, Bill McKibben, Lucy Siegle, Trisha Shetty, Rupi Kaur, Karuna Nundy, Mihir Sharma, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh, Surpriya Shrinate, Kapil Sibal, T. M. Krishna, Kavita Krishnan, and Aishe Ghosh spoke out on Twitter against Disha's arrest.

Apoorvanand, an activist and professor at Delhi University, stated, "[The government wants] to send a very stern message to the young people that you are not allowed to go beyond yourself, if you are a student, you shouldn't get interested in the issues or lives of people that are different from you", and that the government is saying "what business have you to get interested in the farmers lives or lives of Dalits or Muslims. And if you are crossing your boundary and try to establish a contact with them, then it's clear that you are part of a conspiracy." Musician Vineeth Vincent, an acquaintance of Disha, told NDTV that Disha opposes violence, and "Disha is the soft target, she is the person who will be the poster girl - so that the rest of us do not speak up and are put in place", and "My message to the government is - listen to the young people", adding, "There is some sense in what we are trying to say. ... You could have started a conversation with Disha. She is not going to run anywhere ... She is not the kind to run away." Nine-year-old activist Licypriya Kangujam tweeted "This is an attempt to silence the voices of young girls & women in this country. But THIS WILL NOT STOP US from fighting for our planet & future."

Senior advocate Rebecca Mammen John criticised the arrest, stating that the Delhi police had not obtained a transit remand from the Bangalore court and questioned whether the case diaries and arrest memo were examined. The lack of legal counsel for Disha was also criticised. Other legal experts such as Colin Gonsalves and senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal have also spoken against the arrest. The Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR), an NGO, described Disha's arrest as "absurd" and an "attempt to criminalise dissent", and said her arrest and detention violated the Constitution and the Code of Criminal Procedure. After reviewing the "toolkit document", former Supreme Court Justice Deepak Gupta stated, "I see that there is nothing in the toolkit on anything with regard to violence or anything with regard to inciting people. I don't see what is seditious about this document. One may or may not agree with the protesters, that is a different matter. But to say that this is sedition is totally not understanding the law."

Disha's arrest was also criticised by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the ruling political party of Pakistan.

Following Disha's arrest, there were protests in Bangalore, Delhi, and Mumbai. Around 900 alumni of Mount Carmel College, Bangalore, signed a protest condemning the arrest claiming that it was an attempt by the government to browbeat Disha. On 18 February, Reuters reported "Ravi's arrest has kicked off a fire storm of criticism against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for using heavy-handed tactics to counter the farmers' agitation." Disha denied being part of a conspiracy and denied knowing the group, and said, "I was just supporting farmers", and "I supported farmers because they are our future and we all need to eat."

Disha has requested a court order to prevent the police from leaking material related to the case to the media, including alleged contents of her private WhatsApp chats and alleged admissions and disclosures by her while in police custody. On February 18, the Delhi high court ruled that the plea filed by Disha to restrain the police from leaking information about its investigation will be considered. Reuters reports that on February 18, Disha's attorneys also filed documents with the court stating that she was arrested illegally, and specifically that "The police did not obtain any transit remand", which is the legal permission required before moving an accused to another location, "nor did they permit the petitioner to consult with a lawyer", adding "Surprisingly, there was significant media coverage of the petitioner's remand hearing and the media seemed to have more knowledge about the time and venue of the petitioner's production than her lawyers."

On February 19, the Delhi High Court directed the Delhi police to comply with their affidavit that asserted there would be no leaks, and to ensure that their media briefings would comply with the 2010 Ministry of Home Affairs' Advisory on Media Policy of Police. Media houses were ordered to base their reporting on "verified and authentic sources", and allowed to maintain confidentiality and anonymity of their sources.

On February 19, Disha was detained in a three-day judicial custody, on the day her five-day police custody would have ended. Judge Dharmendra Rana asked the police counsel to show the evidence linking Disha to the January 26 violence or whether it was based on conjectures.

During the bail hearings, the lawyer, on behalf of Disha, stated, "If highlighting farmers' protest globally is sedition, I am better off in jail." On 22 February, Disha was taken into police custody for interrogation. On 23 February 2021, the sessions court granted bail to Disha. Judge Rana stated, "Considering the scanty and sketchy evidence on record, I do not find any palpable reason for keeping a 22-year-old in custody." In the order, the judge said, "Citizens are conscience keepers of government in any democratic Nation. They cannot be put behind the bars simply because they choose to disagree with the State policies." The judge further said, "This 5000 years old civilization of ours has never been averse to ideas from varied quarters. The following couplet in Rig Veda embodies our cultural ethos expressing our respect for divergent opinions", quoting a translation, "Let noble thoughts come from all directions".

Notable roles and appointments Co-founder of Fridays For Future India, a youth-led climate action movement advocating for environmental justice and sustainability. Coordinator for the MAPA (Most Affected People and Areas) network, amplifying voices from communities disproportionately impacted by climate change. Advisory board member for "Generation Hope" at the Natural History Museum, London. Youth Champion of the solar geoengineering non-use agreement