Disha Ravi was denied passport, couldn't attend CoP26 and report for Grist

Disha Ravi

Twenty-three-year-old Bengaluru-based climate activist Disha A Ravi, who was granted bail in February, after being arrested in the farmers’ protest toolkit case, could not attend the CoP26 event despite receiving an observer badge.

The young activist, who works for Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg’s organisation ‘Fridays For Future’, was supposed to be in Glasgow along with three other members, to attend the prestigious United Nations climate conference and share the stage with world leaders. However, Ravi alleged that she was denied a passport “despite following due process".

The 23-year-old activist took to Twitter to share her interview with a British newspaper, where she spoke about her ordeal and how her dreams to report for Grist – a non-profit organisation that writes on the environment and climate change – shattered to pieces.

Also Read: All you need to know about Disha Ravi, the climate activist arrested in the ‘toolkit’ case

Speaking to Independent, she said: “To be at COP26, I would have to pass through two hurdles — one was to get a passport and the other was to file for an exception with the court that was in charge of my case. My leaving the court would be at the discretion of the court. But I never even got to stage two, because I am still stuck in stage one.”

I was supposed to be at COP26 coz I was supposed to report for @grist coz I deserved to be there, but I was denied my passport, despite following due process. 88 days since I applied for a passport & I still don't have it so I wrote about it https://t.co/V7hv0m56Sg (1/3) pic.twitter.com/x2dw96Zfni

— Disha Ravi

Ravi said although a notice issued by the Ministry of External Affairs states that criminal proceedings are no bar for obtaining a passport, she has attended two court hearings, made two visits to the police, and visited the passport office twice too, but to no avail.

Feeling anguished and hopeless, she added: “The state offers relief on paper but crushes people’s grain-sized freedom at every stage.”