Delhi police confirmed the arrest of Disha Ravi, who is about 20 years old, in a tweet accusing her of being “a key conspirator in formulating and disseminating the document”.
Tens of thousands of farmers have been protesting for months against the new agricultural laws, which they say will destroy their livelihoods.
The toolkit instructs people to call government representatives, share solidarity hashtags on social media, attend rallies and sign petitions. It gained visibility after Thunberg posted a link to it on February 4, accrediting “people on the ground in India.”
The move seemed to annoy the Indian authorities. On the same day, Delhi police announced that they had launched a criminal investigation into the creators of the toolkit and that they would seek to charge them with sedition, provoking or inciting a riot and a criminal conspiracy.
“In this document, there is an action plan (which) on or after January 26, there will be a digital strike and a storm on tweet and also physical action on January 26,” Special Commissioner Praveer Ranjan told a conference February 4 release “Using this set of tools, people have been informed (on how to get in and out of Delhi).”
It is not yet clear if Ravi has been charged, what sentence he may face or when his next hearing will be. There are no court documents available to the public in her case. CNN contacted Delhi police to provide more information.
“Disha is a climate change activist,” said a volunteer in the Indian chapter of Fridays For Future, a global climate activism group founded by Thunberg. “It was hard to wrap my head yesterday when I found out about (her arrest), I was shocked.”
The volunteer refused to be named for safety reasons. “This leads to a lot of caution,” she said. “We demand a living future … It’s our right.”
Farmers’ protests
The protests revolve around three new agricultural laws, which farmers say could affect their incomes.
Under previous legislation, farmers had to auction their goods to the Agricultural Markets Committee in their state, where they are guaranteed to receive at least the minimum price agreed by the government. There were restrictions on who could buy, and prices were limited for essential goods.
The new laws dismantled this committee structure, allowing farmers to sell their goods to anyone at any cost.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the reforms would modernize the agricultural industry, while giving farmers more freedom to do things like sell directly to buyers or other states without a middle man.
But many farmers say the changes will allow big companies to lower prices. While farmers could sell crops at higher prices if demand is there, on the contrary, they may struggle to reach the minimum price in years when there is too much supply.
Thunberg isn’t the only well-known name to talk about the protests – international celebrities, including singer Rihanna and NBA player Kyle Kuzma, have voiced support for farmers.
The Indian government has attracted the attention of celebrities, strongly criticizing those who express their support for online farmers.
“Before rushing to comment on such issues, we urge that the facts be ascertained and that an adequate understanding of the issues at hand be taken,” a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on February 3rd. “The temptation of the sensationalist hashtags and comments on social networks, especially when they are used by celebrities and other people, are neither correct nor responsible. “
Some activists see Ravi’s arrest as an extension of the authorities’ tough stance against those who support the protests.