The website of Fridays For Future India, which describes itself as a people's movement for climate justice, has been blocked while it ran an awareness campaign "intended to draw attention to the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2020, and make it easier for people to raise their concerns".
The website has been blocked since 10 July, with a notice reportedly sent by the Delhi Police to the domain service provider saying that the "unlawful activities on this website may disturb peace, sovereignty of India".
Javadekar’s Complaint, UAPA Invoked
Significantly, as per the notice, the complaint in this case came from Union Minister Prakash Javadekar and pertained to the "incident of getting multiple emails on his email address with the subject name similar to 'EIA 2020'.”
“After the investigation, mainly below mentioned website (Fridays For Future website) is sending emails to him. Their unlawful activities on this website may disturb peace, sovereignty of India,” the notice, dated 8 July, read.
"The above website depicts objectionable contents and unlawful activities or terrorist act, which are dangerous for the peace, tranquility and sovereignty of the India. The publication and transmission of such objectionable contents is a cognisable and punishable criminal offence under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [sic]," it added.
Police Backtracks
Later, however, the deputy commissioner of police under whose name the notice was sent, told Firstpost that the "notice was issued under a section that was not appropriate to the matter" and has been withdrawn. “Presently, if the website is not running, it is not because of us,” he said.
Meanwhile, Fridays for Future India earlier spoke out against the action saying it has been "slapped with bizarre allegations by authorities and silenced by digital censorship for facilitation of 'too many emails' to the Environment Ministry.”
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