Indian police arrest more climate change protesters after charging Greta Thunberg supporter with sedition

People are protesting against the arrests

Credit: MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP via Getty Images

India has upped its ante against environment campaigners despite mounting outrage over a young climate activist’s arrest, and on Monday issued non-bailable arrest warrants against two more protesters. 

Delhi Police issued arrest warrants against two Mumbai-based activists for creating and circulating the so-called “toolkit” shared by Swedish environmentalist Greta Thunberg on Indian farmers’ protests.

Police are expected to arrest more people in the case.

"The main aim of the ‘toolkit’ was to create misinformation and disaffection against the lawfully enacted government," Delhi police official Prem Nath told reporters.

"The toolkit sought to artificially amplify fake news through various tweets which they have created in the form of a tweet bank. And they sought the public to participate in the action on Jan 26 that was the Republic Day of India," Mr Nath said.

Last month, thousands of Indian farmers overwhelmed police and stormed into the historic Red Fort complex in New Delhi, after tearing down barricades and driving tractors through roadblocks.

Climate activists have accused the government of targeting people who demand greater action on social justice. 

“It is not new. They have gone against journalists, lawyers, and activists. It is been going on for a while now. It’s just they have gone against tweets now. It’s bizarre, to say the least. The government is following the policy that it is right and everyone else is wrong,” said Leo Saldanha, Coordinator of Environment Support Group, Bangalore. 

Dozens of people holding placards assembled on Monday in Bangalore to protest against this weekend’s arrest arrest of Ms Ravi. One carried a placard saying: “When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty”. 

Mr Saldanha said, “Peoples’ lives are so difficult in India that they don’t have time to worry about tomorrow and this government is taking advantage of that. When young people stand up and want to be heard, Government attacks them.” 

Mr Nath said the two activists arrested Monday had attended a Zoom meeting on January 11, organised by the pro-Khalistani group, Poetic Justice Foundation.

Police said the toolkit document had secessionist and pro-Khalistani content embedded into it through links and texts. 

“Ms Ravi sent the Toolkit document to Greta Thunberg on Telegram and also coaxed her to act on it. The main aim of the toolkit was to create misinformation and disaffection against the lawfully enacted government,” police said.   Nityanand Jayaraman, a Chennai-based environmental justice activist, said, “It is an extremely cowardly act of an insecure state where it has chosen to deal with young people that it should be proud about by jailing them.” 

India in June 2020 blocked websites of three green youth movements including the India arm of Fridays For Future led by Ms Thunberg, for opposing a draft environment law.  

Delhi Police charged them for sending multiple emails to the Minister of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar.