New Delhi: The leading English newspapers of the country in their editorials have slammed the Union government on the “hush-hush” arrest of the 22-year-old green activist, Disha Ravi, on three counts.
One, the editorials have wondered whether the Delhi Police does not understand, or is not aware of, the fact that “toolkits” – one of which is currently under scrutiny – are no more than advocacy documents used globally to mobilise support for the causes protestors believe in.
Two, the manner in which the Delhi Police arrested Ravi in violation of due procedures, and how a local magistrate in Delhi had aided it. This includes flouting of norms with regard to interstate arrests, failure to allow the accused to have legal counsel and remanding her to police custody.
Three, if the current regime is indeed worried about its ‘international image’ – which it believes is being undermined by those rallying behind protesting farmers, it should rather refrain from going after a motley group of activists putting its own soft power acquired globally at stake.
‘Weaponising’ innocuous documents
The Indian Express editorial says that it is “bizarre over-reading” of a common advocacy tool in the name of unravelling a “grand foreign plot”.
“Evidence in the public domain also suggests Delhi Police…has weaponised what is a typical advocacy document,” the editorial observes.
Concurring with the above opinion, The Hindu editorial reads, “Such toolkits are common for those organising protests online, and they contain not much more than calls for protests, texts to be tweeted, hashtags to be used, and names of authorities and public functionaries whose handles can be tagged.”
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The Times of India too underlines the same point, that the Delhi Police has no one but to blame itself for the international outrage raised against India by what is seemingly an innocuous document used worldwide to bring together people for causes.
“Globally, toolkits are used by activist groups to provide basic information about their cause and offer suggestions on social media tags and on-site protests. However, Delhi police has only itself to blame for the public outrage now,” The Times of India editorial reads.
‘Illegal’ arrest
The Hindustan Times editorial raises several pointed questions on the way the Indian state is going after activists, with a complete disregard to rule of law and established judicial procedures.
Questioning the manner in which Ravi was arrested and subsequently remanded to police custody, the newspaper’s editorial says, “Courts must treat cases involving personal liberty with more rigour, rather than casually send people to jail when bail should be the norm.”
Historian Ramchandra Guha along with other activists hold placards during a protest against the arrest of climate activist Disha Ravi in Bengaluru, February 15, 2021. Photo: PTI/Shailendra Bhojak.
According to The Times of India, Ravi’s “hush-hush” arrest was not only “disproportionate” in nature by not letting her reach out to legal help but also raises “questions on whether her constitutional rights were prejudiced”.
The Hindu has observed that Ravi’s arrest has brought to the fore how police in India has acquired a dubious distinction of using the law to harrass those who do not toe the government line.
“The police in India, and especially forces under the present regime, have a dubious record of effecting needless arrests and filing questionable cases as a tool of harassment,” the newspaper’s editorial reads.
India’s global image
The Indian Express observes that the current regime by going after youth with questionable arrests has sent out a “chilling message” that “you can speak out and talk back to your government at your own peril”.
“Surely India’s democracy cannot be so thin-skinned about the international interface, so paranoid, ’70s-style, about the “foreign hand”,” the newspaper editorial reads.
Hindustan Times too asks a pointed question how does it help India’s image in the world, which is already facing flak for “growing illiberalism”.
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“At a time when India is facing criticism for growing illiberalism, is arresting young activists the most ethical or prudent course of action? How does it sync with India’s constitutional guarantees on free speech and political activity?” Hindustan Times editorial asks.
The Times of India says if indeed the government is concerned about unraveling the alleged Khalistani role in the farmers’ protests, it cannot be done by trumping up charges on activists.
“Certainly, the alleged Khalistani hand can be unravelled without an ungainly hitching of that menace to little known green activists. Arrest the draining away of international soft power, stop seeing activists as seditionists,” the editorial reads.
The Hindu‘s editorial too has a word of advice for the government which is deeply agitated over its international standing.
“A government truly worried about its global image would instead seek to address the deficit in tolerance and surfeit in repression that are becoming more obvious with each passing day.”