Delhi Police have lodged an FIR in connection with a ‘toolkit’ posted online containing information on how to back the farmers protests. While no names have been mentioned in the FIR, a Delhi police officer said there were indications that the document was created by a pro-Khalistan group.
The ‘toolkit’ has been doing the rounds on social media and the document was tweeted by, among others, Swedish teen climate change activist Greta Thunberg. Thunberg later reposted an updated version of the ‘toolkit’. In the document, various urgent actions, including creating a Twitter storm and protesting outside Indian embassies, were listed as steps to be taken to support the farmers’ protest.
Praveer Ranjan, Special Commissioner of Police, Delhi Police, on Thursday said, “We haven’t named anybody in the FIR, it’s only against the creators of the toolkit which is a matter of investigation and Delhi Police will be investigating that case.”
“Preliminary enquiry has revealed that the toolkit in question appears to have been created by a proKhalistani Organisation ‘Poetic Justice Foundation’,” the police officer said.
He said considering the unfolding of events in the past few days, including the violence on January 26, it has revealed “copycat execution” of the action plan mentioned in the ‘toolkit’ which was also aimed at waging “a social, cultural and economic war against the Government of India.”
The FIR filed by the Special cell of Delhi Police booked unknown people under IPC section, 124A (sedition), 153 A (Promoting enmity between different groups) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy). Taking to Twitter again on Thursday, Greta Thunberg said, “I still #StandWithFarmersand support their peaceful protest. No amount of hate, threats or violations of human rights will ever change that. #FarmersProtest”.
Earlier this week, Thunberg as well as other global celebrities such as singer Rihanna, took to Twitter to lend support to the farmers in India who are protesting against the three new farm laws. Delhi police are closely monitoring social media in connection with the farmers’ agitation.
Delhi police have identified 300 social media handles that are promoting social enmity and malicious content in the name of farmers protest, Mr Ranjan said.