Delhi Police Arrest Climate Activist in Connection With 'Greta Thunberg Toolkit' Case

Earlier this month, Swedish environmentalist Greta Thunberg posted a text document on Twitter related to the ongoing farmers' protest in India. The file created on Google Docs detailed ways to support the protest with urgent actions including demonstrations outside Indian diplomatic missions abroad.

Delhi Police have arrested 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi for allegedly being involved in sharing the infamous "Greta Thunberg toolkit" related to the farmers' protest on social media.

Ravi, who was put in police custody for five days, is one of the founders of the "Fridays for Future" campaign and allegedly edited the "toolkit" and forwarded the controversial document on social media.

Addressing a press conference, a police official said the "toolkit" mentioned how using some particular hashtags on or before 26 January, Republic Day, which was marred by violence during a planned tractor rally by farmers, would lead to a "digital strike" on Twitter. 

The police also stated hat the "toolkit" had a detailed plan on the execution of violence near the Red Fort. 

The toolkit tweeted - and shortly thereafter deleted - by Greta Thunberg is said to have had campaigning advice for farmers.

The Delhi Police then filed a legal complaint against the controversial "toolkit".

On Sunday, the police said the intention of the document's creators was to sow disharmony among various social, religious, and cultural groups and encourage disaffection and ill-will against the central government. According to law enforcement, it aimed at waging a social, cultural, and economic war against India.

According to media reports, the Delhi Police had earlier asked Google and some social media giants to provide information about email IDs, URLs, and certain social media accounts related to the creators of the "toolkit" shared by teen climate activist Greta Thunberg and others on Twitter in connection with the farmers' protest.

Thousands of farmers protesting outside the Delhi border, breached the barricades and entered the Indian capital on 26 January as part of a tractor rally. A group of them soon invaded Delhi's iconic Red Fort, leading to violent clashes between the police and farmers. More than 300 police officers suffered injuries and one tractor-riding protester died.