Image courtesy: NDTV
A delegation of civil rights organizations of Karnataka met with the state Home Minister, Basvaraj Bommai, seeking action in the illegal arrest of 21-year-old Disha Ravi from Bengaluru by Delhi Police.
They have also sought an FIR against Haryana’s Home Minister Anil Vij for posting a hateful tweet on his account calling for Disha’s extermination. On February 15, Vij tweeted calling for ‘eradication of those who thought against the nation, be it Disha Ravi or anyone else’
A delegation of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Nammoora Bhoomi Namagirali, People Union of Civil Liberties, All Indian Students Association, AIPWA, All India United Trade Union Centre, Campaign Against Hate Speech and some advocates met with Home Minister Basvaraj Bommai seeking urgent action in this regard. The delegation informed the Minister that it had sent a memorandum to Bengaluru Police demanding action against Delhi Police and also against those in Bengaluru Police whose lapses in duty resulted in this incident but no action had been taken by Bengaluru Police in this regard.
“People across Karnataka have been disturbed by the illegal arrest of Disha Ravi on February 13, 2021. The manner in which a young woman from Karnataka, who has been fighting for people’s issues was picked up without informing the local police, was not provided access to her advocate, was not produced before a local magistrate, has deeply hurt and angered all of us,” said the delegation.
Bommai assured the delegation that he will call for a meeting with the Advocate General and the police department within two days to discuss the same. The delegation said that if the Karnataka government and Bengaluru police do not act today, we will be putting at risk the lives of several activists and youth.
The young activist’s arrest has caused quite a furore across the country with many women’s right institutions and associations speaking up for her. The Delhi Commission for Women also took notice of this incident and wrote to Delhi police demanding a copy of FIR and seeking reasons why due procedure was not followed in her arrest. Further, even the Delhi High Court Women Lawyers Forum has written to the Supreme Court condemning Disha’s arrest and questioning the invoking the charges of sedition against her.
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