Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday came out in support of 22-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi, who was arrested by Delhi police from Bangalore on Saturday on sedition charges, accusing her of being the “key conspirator” behind a social media “toolkit” being used to publicise protests against the new farm regime.

A day after Disha was sent to police custody for five days, Kejriwal tweeted: “Arrest of Disha Ravi is an unprecedented attack on Democracy. Supporting our farmers is not a crime.”

Party MLA Raghav Chadha termed the arrest an “extrajudicial abduction” and called upon the youth to protest.

“The BJP reminds us about the Emergency at the drop of a hat but at the end of the day, the BJP itself is taking us towards another Emergency… The Delhi police have not produced any transit remand or followed any proper legal procedure in this arrest. On behalf of AAP, I want to ask BJP if this is not an Emergency then what does an Emergency look like,” he said.

Chadha added: “Dissent is not equal to sedition. The difference of opinion between the ruling party or with the policies or laws of the government is also not sedition... AAP demands that Disha Ravi should be immediately released and all the youth should come together to raise their voice against the BJP, peacefully.”

The AAP has also denied reports that Mumbai lawyer Nikita Jacob, another person whose arrest has been ordered in the case on Monday, is its member.