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Is Greenpeace crackdown a plan of Modi government to stifle alternative voices under the cover of national interest?
By Avik Roy in New Delhi
“You can’t muzzle dissent in a democracy”, said the Delhi High Court while delivering a verdict against the federal government’s attitude towards civil society.
But this is what green campaigners say India’s government led by prime minister Narendra Modi aims to do — stifle the voices that speak a language different from that of the state.
On April 9 the federal government blocked foreign funding to Greenpeace India with immediate effect by suspending its licence for six months and served a notice to it asking why its registration should not be cancelled.
The decision was taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) after it was allegedly found that the NGO has “prejudicially affected public interests and economic interests of the country in violation” of the laws regulating international financial transactions — Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).
Legal threat
The environmental organisation claimed last week it was being hit by “unfounded allegations”, filing a 26-page response to the MHA’s show-cause notice asking it to explain its alleged violations of the FCRA.
“We are confident that this response establishes our legitimacy beyond any doubt,” said Samit Aich the executive director of Greenpeace India.
Along with the 180-day suspension, the home ministry froze all seven domestic bank accounts of the organisation. The government is now planning to cancel the licence of Greenpeace to function in India.
“It is the government using strong arm tactics to clamp down on dissenting voices in civil society,” Greenpeace added in a press statement.
- See more at: India: No place for dissent in world?s biggest democracy
Greenpeace now faces imminent shut down in India if the government doesn’t unblock its bank accounts.
“This has never happened in the history of Greenpeace,” said Priya Pillai. “It’s strange, it’s sad and it is alarming that this is happening in a country like India which is the world’s largest democracy.”
And that could mean many projects it was actively highlighting and blocking will now progress unopposed.
Activists have accused the government of watering down environmental rules allowing industries to operate closer to protected green zones.
Greenpeace now faces imminent shut down in India if the government doesn’t unblock its bank accounts.
“This has never happened in the history of Greenpeace,” said Priya Pillai. “It’s strange, it’s sad and it is alarming that this is happening in a country like India which is the world’s largest democracy.”
And that could mean many projects it was actively highlighting and blocking will now progress unopposed.
Activists have accused the government of watering down environmental rules allowing industries to operate closer to protected green zones.
.............................................
According to media reports, the government has written to the revenue department to revoke Greenpeace India’s society registration and tax exemption for donations.
Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, a journalist and film-maker well-known in India for documentaries like ‘Coal Curse’, said Greenpeace had found a way to hurt the Modi administration, and is being punished as a result.
“The government is targeting Greenpeace in an unfair manner because it is speaking out against certain environmental concerns, specifically what is happening in Singrauli,” he said.
“The government is also unhappy that Greenpeace is also opposing a major [coal mining] project in Australia which is set up by Adani group.”
At a press conference in New Delhi last week, civil society groups called on the prime minister to stop the crackdown on NGOs and begin a dialogue.
..................
On January 20, the Delhi High Court had directed the Home Ministry to transfer the blocked foreign funds — to the tune of 19 million rupees (US$ 299,502) — from Greenpeace International and Climate Works Foundation to Greenpeace India’s accounts, declaring the ministry’s actions to be “arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional”.
The court also observed that all NGOs were entitled to have their viewpoints and just because their views are not in agreement with that of the government’s, it did not mean they were acting against the national interest.
- See more at: http://www.rtcc.org/2015/05/18/indi...orlds-biggest-democracy/#sthash.FxhpLhXQ.dpuf
- See more at: India: No place for dissent in world?s biggest democracy
By Avik Roy in New Delhi
“You can’t muzzle dissent in a democracy”, said the Delhi High Court while delivering a verdict against the federal government’s attitude towards civil society.
But this is what green campaigners say India’s government led by prime minister Narendra Modi aims to do — stifle the voices that speak a language different from that of the state.
On April 9 the federal government blocked foreign funding to Greenpeace India with immediate effect by suspending its licence for six months and served a notice to it asking why its registration should not be cancelled.
The decision was taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) after it was allegedly found that the NGO has “prejudicially affected public interests and economic interests of the country in violation” of the laws regulating international financial transactions — Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).
Legal threat
The environmental organisation claimed last week it was being hit by “unfounded allegations”, filing a 26-page response to the MHA’s show-cause notice asking it to explain its alleged violations of the FCRA.
“We are confident that this response establishes our legitimacy beyond any doubt,” said Samit Aich the executive director of Greenpeace India.
Along with the 180-day suspension, the home ministry froze all seven domestic bank accounts of the organisation. The government is now planning to cancel the licence of Greenpeace to function in India.
“It is the government using strong arm tactics to clamp down on dissenting voices in civil society,” Greenpeace added in a press statement.
- See more at: India: No place for dissent in world?s biggest democracy
Greenpeace now faces imminent shut down in India if the government doesn’t unblock its bank accounts.
“This has never happened in the history of Greenpeace,” said Priya Pillai. “It’s strange, it’s sad and it is alarming that this is happening in a country like India which is the world’s largest democracy.”
And that could mean many projects it was actively highlighting and blocking will now progress unopposed.
Activists have accused the government of watering down environmental rules allowing industries to operate closer to protected green zones.
Greenpeace now faces imminent shut down in India if the government doesn’t unblock its bank accounts.
“This has never happened in the history of Greenpeace,” said Priya Pillai. “It’s strange, it’s sad and it is alarming that this is happening in a country like India which is the world’s largest democracy.”
And that could mean many projects it was actively highlighting and blocking will now progress unopposed.
Activists have accused the government of watering down environmental rules allowing industries to operate closer to protected green zones.
.............................................
According to media reports, the government has written to the revenue department to revoke Greenpeace India’s society registration and tax exemption for donations.
Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, a journalist and film-maker well-known in India for documentaries like ‘Coal Curse’, said Greenpeace had found a way to hurt the Modi administration, and is being punished as a result.
“The government is targeting Greenpeace in an unfair manner because it is speaking out against certain environmental concerns, specifically what is happening in Singrauli,” he said.
“The government is also unhappy that Greenpeace is also opposing a major [coal mining] project in Australia which is set up by Adani group.”
At a press conference in New Delhi last week, civil society groups called on the prime minister to stop the crackdown on NGOs and begin a dialogue.
..................
On January 20, the Delhi High Court had directed the Home Ministry to transfer the blocked foreign funds — to the tune of 19 million rupees (US$ 299,502) — from Greenpeace International and Climate Works Foundation to Greenpeace India’s accounts, declaring the ministry’s actions to be “arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional”.
The court also observed that all NGOs were entitled to have their viewpoints and just because their views are not in agreement with that of the government’s, it did not mean they were acting against the national interest.
- See more at: http://www.rtcc.org/2015/05/18/indi...orlds-biggest-democracy/#sthash.FxhpLhXQ.dpuf
- See more at: India: No place for dissent in world?s biggest democracy
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