Delhi Police on Monday said that it has identified Nikita Jacobs, Shantanu Muluk, Puneet and Disha Ravi as the creators of the “Toolkit” which was shared by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on her Twitter account.
Thunberg had shared the toolkit to lend her support to the farmers’ agitation against the three farm laws. In the document, various urgent actions were listed which were needed to be taken to support the farmers’ agitation. The toolkit has been cited by some as a proof of conspiracy to fuel protests in India.
During a press conference, Joint Commissioner of Police (Cyber) Prem Nath said that Disha Ravi made a WhatsApp group to spread the toolkit and then later deleted it. He also stated that Nikita and Shantanu attended a Zoom meeting organised by “pro-Khalistani” group Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF).
“Disha, Shantanu and Nikita created and edited the toolkit. Disha sent the toolkit to Greta Thunberg through the Telegram app. Disha recently deleted a WhatsApp group which she created to spread the toolkit,” said Nath.
The police said Puneet, a Canada-based woman, had put Nikita, Disha and Shantanu in touch with Poetic Justice Foundation. They had a zoom meeting on 11 January.
According to the officer, many screenshots of the toolkit were available on open source Internet and were investigated, following which a search warrant was obtained on 9 February against Nikita Jacob.
The police further mentioned that Disha, Shantanu and Nikita held the Zoom meeting before Republic Day to plan a social media buzz on the tractor rally. While Disha has been arrested, warrants with non-bailable charges are out against them. Nikita Jacob has approached the Bombay High Court for protection from arrest for four weeks.
Regarding allegations that Disha Ravi, a college graduate from Bengaluru, was arrested and taken to Delhi without the knowledge of her parents, the police said “all guidelines were followed”.
“Disha was arrested in the presence of her mother, SHO from local police, and a female officer,” an officer said.
The BJP and its leadership have been extremely critical of this toolkit and its propagators. Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij called for the “destruction” of Disha Ravi and said, “If seeds of anti-nationalism have been sown in somebody’s thought process, he/she should be destroyed from roots… whether she is Disha Ravi or anyone else.”
Meanwhile, the arrest has sparked widespread outrage on Sunday, with politicians, academics, activists, authors and poets among those condemning the police action.
US Vice President Kamala Harris’ niece Meena Harris tweeted: “Indian officials have arrested another young female activist, 21-year-old Disha Ravi, because she posted a social media toolkit on how to support the farmers’ protest. Ask why activists are being targeted and silenced by the government.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted screenshots of articles talking about the arrest of Disha and quoted Faiz Ahmed Faiz in his tweet, “Speak because your words have freedom. Speak because truth still lives. They are fear, not the country. India won’t be silenced.”
His sister and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also wrote in Hindi, “The ones with guns fear an unarmed girl. The rays of courage have been spread by an unarmed gun.”
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also tweeted in support and said that: “If seeds of anti-nationalism have been sown in somebody’s thought process, he/she should be destroyed from roots… whether she is Disha Ravi or anyone else.”
“A ‘took kit’ to support the farmers’ protest is more dangerous than the intrusion by Chinese troops into Indian territory! India is becoming the theatre of the absurd and it is sad that the Delhi Police has become a tool of the oppressors. I strongly condemn the arrest of Disha Ravi and urge all students and youth to raise their voices to protest against the authoritarian regime,” said former Home Minister P. Chidambaram.
“The question is when will those people be arrested who continue to issue a literal ‘toolkit’ to break the national and social unity of India morning and evening, giving rise to hatred and division among the masses,” Samajwadi Party chief and former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav posted in Hindi.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body spearheading the farmers’ protests that Disha Ravi supported, also demanded her immediate release.