[WSMDiscuss] [REDlistserve] Fwd: Civil Society Press Statement: On the arbitrary arrest of youth climate activist Disha Ravi

[Abha Bhaiya]

strongly endorsed
abha

On Sun, 14 Feb 2021 at 20:26, Ashish Kothari <ashishkothari at riseup.net>
wrote:

> India continues along the path of abrogation of democratic rights. In a
> completely unjustified and excessive show of force, a young climate
> activist was picked up yesterday by Delhi Police and put into 5 days
> custody, on charges relating to alleged international conspiracy, violence
> etc that are in the context of the ongoing Farmers' movement in India. She
> and many others are part of environmental groups that have challenged the
> govt on several counts of negligence on environment, as also campaigned in
> support of the farmer movement, explicitly linking their ecological
> concerns with it. Now the Indian state is hitting back. See below a
> statement by several civil society groups and individuals, in response.
>
> ashish
>
> *For Immediate Release and Publication: *
>
> *Statement by Coalition for Environmental Justice in India*
>
> *and other concerned civil society activists and citizens *
>
>
> *Focus on real issues: India's environmental and social justice crises*
>
> *Stop targeting India's youth and environmental activists *
>
>
> 14th February, 2021: News that Disha Ravi, a young woman and climate
> activist from Bengaluru, has been “picked up” - in what is referred to as a
> “closely guarded operation” of the Delhi police - is highly disturbing both
> for what appears to be its illegal nature and for the over-reaction of the
> State that it represents. Earlier today, Disha has been remanded to police
> custody for five days.
>
> 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 has reportedly been 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.
>
> Delhi Police’s actions are all the more sinister because the 21-year old
> was taken to Delhi from Bengaluru with no disclosure about her whereabouts,
> not even to her parents, an action that can be termed extra-judicial
> abduction.
>
> 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.
> The act of criminalising young people for extending solidarity to a
> struggle that resonates with their own aspirations for a healthy and secure
> future, strikes as a new low.
>
> From the controversial Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Notification
> 2020 and in advancing laws that has drawn farmers’ across India to protest,
> the wider public is becoming increasingly aware of the Union Government’s
> tendency to put corporate interests over the well-being and future of the
> nation. It is also becoming increasingly clear that the current actions of
> the Central Government are diversionary tactics to distract people from
> real issues like the ever-rising cost of fuel and essential items, the
> widespread unemployment and distress caused due to the lockdown without a
> plan, and the alarming state of the environment..
>
> The grave state of India's environment is evident from the recent
> Uttarakhand disasters and the floods across Western Ghats, the Ganges and
> Brahmaputra. In attending to this disastrous state of affairs, the
> Government needs to reach out to India’s youth, not attack them.
>
> India should count itself fortunate that conscientious young Indians are
> actively engaged with shaping their futures in the face of ecological
> catastrophes. Aware that the government policies are hurting millions and
> harming the environment, these youngsters are exercising their
> constitutional rights and performing their fundamental duties by
> systematically holding the government accountable.
>
> The Government’s heavy-handedness are clearly focused on terrorising and
> traumatising these brave young people for speaking truth to power, and
> amounts to teaching them a lesson. A confident Government must appreciate
> this resilience of our youth and hold open dialogues with them across the
> country. The current actions of the Indian Government, instead, amount to
> gagging democracy itself.
>
> *As people involved in various campaigns for environmental and social
> justice, and as citizens who believe it is our sacred responsibility to
> hold governments to account, we invite the government to treat multiple
> serious ecological/climate, economic and social crises we now suffer from
> with the full attention they deserve.*
>
> *We call on the Indian Government to take India’s youth into confidence,
> understand their concerns about their future, and work with them to
> safeguard our environment and strengthen institutions of democratic
> decision making.*
>
> *We demand that Disha Ravi be immediately released and assisted to get
> back home to resume her life.*
>
> *Endorsed by:*
>
> Ashish Kothari, Kalpavrish, Pune
>
> Nityanand Jayaraman, Write and Activist, Chennai
>
> Leo F. Saldanha, Environment Support Group, Bangalore
>
> M. J. Vijayan, New Delhi
>
> Meera Sanghamitra, National Alliance of Peoples Movement (NAPM)
>
> Soumya Dutta, Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha (BJVJ)
>
> Arundhati Dhuru
>
> Sandeep Pandey
>
> Kavita Krishnan, AIPWA
>
> Ramnarayan K., Munsiari, Uttarakhand
>
> A C Michael, Former Member of Delhi Minorities Commission
>
> Evita Das, PIPFPD and NAPM (Delhi)
>
> Veena Padmanabhan, Gurgaon
>
> Nisha Biswas
>
> Shripad Dharmadhikary, Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, Pune
>
> Sahana Subramanian, Bangalore
>
> Simar Kohla, Founder, Lifetide - Collective for water sustainability and
> Justice
>
> Anuradha Banerji, Independent Researcher, New Delhi.
>
> Benny Kuruvilla, Researcher, New Delhi
> K. Sajaya, Independent journalist, Social Activist, Hyderabad
>
> Amani Ponnaganti, Researcher, Bengaluru
>
> G. Sundarrajan, Poovulagin Nanbargal
>
> T. M. Krishna, Singer, Writer, Activist
>
> S.P. Udayakumaran, Pachai Thamizhagam Katchi, Green Tamil Nadu Party
>
> Richa Singh, Sangtin kisan majdoor sangthan Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh
>
> Joe Athialy, Centre for Financial Accountability, New Delhi
>
> Karthik G, Chennai Climate Action Group, Chennai
>
> Adv Purnima Upadhyay, Amaravati, Maharashtra
>
> Shalini Gera, Advocate, High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur
>
> Khalida Parveen, Social activist, Hyderabad
>
> Dr. Bittu K R, Associate Professor of Biology and Psychology, Ashoka
> University
>
> Narasimha Reddy Dhonti, Hyderabad
>
> Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity, West Bengal
>
> Shramajivi Mahila Samity, West Bengal
>
> Dr Akhileshwari Ramagoud, Academic and Independent Journalist
>
> M.Yuvan - Writer, Naturalist, Activist - Chennai Climate Action Group
>
> Sushmita, Mumbai
>
> Kamayani Bali Mahabal, Feminist and Human Rights Activist
>
> Rinchin, Writer, Chattisgarh
>
> Punjab Womens Collective
>
> Padmaja Shaw, Rtd. Professor, Osmania University
>
> Karthik Ranganathan, Engineer, Bangalore
>
> Amit Kumar, Delhi Solidarity Group, New Delhi
>
> Suma Josson, Film maker
>
> Siddharth K J, Independent Researcher, Bengaluru
> Nikita Naidu, Hyderabad
>
> Arundhati Ghosh, Cultural Professional, Bangalore
>
> Manoj Pande
>
> Abhayraj Naik, Visiting Faculty, Azim Premji University, Bangalore
>
> Mari Marcel Thekaekara, Gudalar, TN
>
> Sujatha Padmanabhan, Chennai
>
> Anil Varghese, Delhi Solidarity Group
>
> Ramanand Wangheilakpa, Secy, Chingmeirong Maning leikai Singlup and
> Exe.Dir, Indigenous Perspectives,Manipur
>
> Chirag Dhara, Mumbai, India
>
> Ashik Krishnan, Co-Creator, Travellers' University
>
> Sridhar Radhakrishnanm Environmentalist, Kerala Paristhithi Aikya Vedhi
>
> Tara Murali, Architect, Chennai
>
> Akshay Chettri, Pune
>
> Om Prakash Singh, Chennai
>
> Jaya Iyer Delhi, bhumi ka
>
> Rajeswari S Raina
>
> Madhu Sarin, Chandigarh
>
> Shalmali Guttal, Karnataka
>
> Eric Pinto
>
> Cassandra Nazareth/ Mumbai
>
> Neelam Ahluwalia, (NCR resident)
>
> Ammu Abraham
>
> Terence Fernandes
>
> Aysha, Right to Food Campaign
>
> Dr.G.Vijay, School of Economics, University of Hyderabad
>
> Sheila Kapur
>
> Manasi Pingle, Bangalore
>
> Nishant Bangera, Thane, Muse Foundation
>
> Dunu Roy, Hazards Centre, New Delhi
>
> Yash Marwah, Let India Breathe
>
> Amrita Bhattacharjee
>
> Nachiket Udupa, Delhi
>
> Smruthi Ananth, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru
>
> and many others..
>
> -
>
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