Climate activist Disha Ravi's NGO faced heat from Centre last year too

Indian arm of Greta Thunberg's climate group, FFF's website was then shut, its emails blocked

Fridays for Future (FFF), the climate advocacy group that environment activist Disha Ravi, who was arrested on Sunday, is part of, was in the Centre’s line of fire last year as well.

In July 2020, FFF India faced a backlash from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) when it submitted mass emails against the government’s draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) rules, which deal with the process of evaluating the environmental impact of a proposed project.

Little known until then, FFF India and two other NGOs had through mass emails and petitions submitted to the MoEFCC to withdraw the EIA draft 2020 and introduce a fresh one after grassroots feedback from affected regions. Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar had then lodged a complaint against the three NGOs and their websites were shut and emails blocked. The police had also charged them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Though the websites were restored in a few days, the ban put the spotlight on the EIA draft. Soon, social media sites saw celebrities, influencers and activists demanding its withdrawal. Political leaders such as former Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh and current Maharashtra environment minister Aditya Thackeray also called for it to be scrapped.

FFF India is the Indian arm of a global NGO launched by Swedish teen environment activist Greta Thunberg.

In India, FFF has volunteers who campaign on issues concerning the environment, climate justice and so on. Its website reads: “We are fighting for our future and our lives because they are directly threatened by the climate crisis and the ecological breakdown. We are taking action against it because we want to protect the beauty of the earth, the diversity of species and the lives of all beings. Our goal is to overcome the climate crisis and to create a society that lives in harmony with its fellow beings and its environment”.

Since Ravi’s arrest, neither FFF India nor Thunberg have tweeted or shared any social media posts on either the farmer protest or the arrest. The last tweet by FFF India was on February 3 when it retweeted Thunberg’s post on the protest. FFF India’s website has no post on the issue.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has slapped charges of “sedition”, “criminal conspiracy” and “promoting hatred” on Ravi and the creators of the “toolkit” that Thunberg tweeted for people who want to show support for the farmers. 

Toolkits are simply strategies put together for any social media outreach plan and are a normal practice to disseminate information. This particular toolkit, according to the police, had details of the farm laws, suggestions for social media posts and information on how to publicise the protest. Several Indian and global activists have come in support of Ravi. Sunita Narain, director, Centre for Science and Environment, said on Twitter: "We know #climatechange is an existential threat. World desperately needs the passion and commitment of the youth and their loud and strong voice to shake it to more action #FreeDishaRavi."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called Ravi’s arrest an attack on democracy. Public interest lawyer Prashant Bhushan, through his Campaign for Judicial Accountability & Judicial Reforms, issued a statement condemning the arrest: “These actions by the Delhi Police have made complete mockery of the procedure established by law in depriving Disha Ravi of her right to life and liberty.” State ministers such as Anil Vij of BJP tweeted in favour of the arrest.

Lawyer, green activist move HC for transit bail

An advocate and an environmental activist on Monday moved the Bombay High Court seeking transit anticipatory bail after they were named as suspects in a case filed by the Delhi Police with regard to the "toolkit" shared by climate activist Greta Thunberg .

Advocate Nikita Jacob and environmental activist Shantanu Muluk, both Maharashtra residents, filed separate pleas in the HC, which will hear them on Tuesday, after a Delhi court issued non-bailable warrants against them in the case.

According to the Delhi police, the duo was allegedly involved in preparing the document and was in direct touch with "pro-Khalistani elements". PTI