The Delhi Police on Friday wrote to Google and “other entities”, asking them to provide information about the creators of a toolkit tweeted by climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg in her messages expressing support for the farmers’ protests in India, reported PTI.
Police said they sought details about the emails, domain URLs and certain social media accounts mentioned in the toolkit.
This came a day after the Delhi Police filed a First Information Report against the creators of the toolkit, who they referred to as “pro-Khalistan” persons waging a “social, cultural and economic war against the Government of India”.
A toolkit is essentially a booklet or document created to explain a cause or issue. The one tweeted by Thunberg explains that it is “meant to enable anyone unfamiliar with the ongoing farmers protests in India to better understand the situation and make decisions on how to support the farmers based on their own analysis”.
The document goes on to suggest some “urgent actions” sympathisers could undertake to show their support for the farmers. These are routine actions that are permitted in any democracy.
But the police said that it was evidence of a conspiracy that resulted in violence on Republic Day, when one section of participants in a tractor rally in Delhi deviated from the planned route and entered the Red Fort. The case was registered against unknown persons for allegedly participating in a criminal conspiracy and promoting enmity.
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Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber Cell) Anyesh Roy said a letter was written to Google and other entities, seeking information from them about people who created these accounts and uploaded these documents.
“This document was uploaded through Google doc and shared later on Twitter,” he added. “As of now, we are waiting for details from the concerned entities and based on information provided by them, we will proceed with the investigation further.”
An unidentified Delhi Police official said that the original document will help the investigators in identifying the creators of the toolkit, and the person who shared it. He said it was important to identify them since there was an “element of conspiracy”.
Several pro-government social media handles have also expressed outrage at the “toolkit” tweeted by Thunberg. Many claimed the documented was evidence of a global conspiracy to attack India.
Thunberg’s message of support for the protests came shortly after pop star Rihanna tweeted a CNN article about the internet cuts imposed in several parts of Haryana in an attempt to disrupt the swelling agitation by farmers. Rihanna’s tweet drew global attention to the protests as prominent foreign personalities echoed her support for the farmers’ movement.
Following the international condemnation, India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement calling the tweets a “sensationalist” attempt by “vested groups” to intervene in India’s internal matters.
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