Environmental activists in Bengaluru welcome bail for Disha Ravi

Bengaluru: Environmental activists in Bengaluru on Tuesday welcomed bail for 22-year-old Disha Ravi, who was arrested in connection with allegedly being involved in sharing a “toolkit” on social media related to the farmers’ protest.

Environment activist Leo Saldanha on behalf of the Coalition For Environment Justice termed the bail a historic and a constitutional moment. “It is a historic and constitutional moment because an Additional Sessions District has used such language, which one would have expected from higher courts.It reminds of the role of judiciary.”

“This is the way the judiciary is supposed to work,” Saldanha said lauding Delhi Additional Sessions court judge Dharmender Rana who granted bail to Ravi. While granting bail, the judge observed, “In my considered opinion, Citizens are conscience keepers of government in any democratic Nation.They cannot be put behind the bars simply because they choose to disagree with the State policies.”

“The offence of sedition cannot be invoked to minister to the wounded vanity of the governments,” the court said.

Advocate Clifton Rozario who handles cases related to environment issues, also welcomed the bail given to Disha Ravi.T “The judge has very critically demonstrated what a witchhunt this entire toolkit controversy is,” he said.

Ravi was arrested on February 13 by a Cyber Cell team of the Delhi Police from Bengaluru and brought to Delhi.