Govt pulls Greenpeace plug, others get jitters
11 April 2015 5:26 AM IST
The Home Ministry has also served a show-cause notice to the NGO, asking it to clarify why its registration should not be cancelled. “They have been asked to defend their stand within 30 days,” MHA sources said. However, Greenpeace India hit out at the government, saying it will not be “cowed” down by a “campaign against dissent” and is seeking legal counsel in the matter.
Sources said all seven bank accounts of the NGO, including IDBI Bank, ICICI Bank and Yes Bank, have been frozen with immediate effect. The suspension order has been issued to the Chief Functionary of Greenpeace India Society in Chennai. On January 19, 2014, the Ministry had intensified its action against Greenpeace International and issued a directive to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), asking the central bank to seek its permission for any donation to be made to the NGO from overseas contributors.
Then, the security agencies, in their reports to the MHA, had recommended the cancellation of the NGO’s FCRA registration, terming Greenpeace India a threat to the national economic security. The agencies, in their reports, had claimed that Greenpeace was aggressively working against the country’s development. The agencies had also taken a serious note on the UK’s interest in the NGO, whose main offices are located in the Netherlands and Germany.
“The UK’s interest in the NGO became evident after their Parliament invited Greenpeace India to become a witness against the Indian government in a formal hearing. Also, a UK-based television channel was roped in to spread the issue internationally against India’s stand on the issue,” government sources said. It was found that in the last few years, several UK nationals, including cyber experts and activists, had visited the NGO’s offices in India to help organise protest activities.
Not the least, the Centre also expressed his annoyance over Greenpeace India’s participation at the Coal Strategy Conference (CSC) in Istanbul in 2012.
Sources said US-based funding agencies projected India as the primary target for thermal power plant activism, where five Greenpeace activists had reportedly participated in the seminar. The CSC was sponsored by US-based Climate Works Foundation (CWF) and World Resources Institute. The participants had identified 999 thermal power plant sites in the world, of which 50% were in India.
“The Indian participants were asked to intensify their anti-coal protest movements and target coal block allocations with regulators in courts or tribunals, including against Coal India Ltd. They were also asked to raise the issue with a base station at Singrauli at MP,” government sources said.
It was learnt besides Greenpeace, there are other NGOs— including Tuticorin Diocesan Association, Centre for Promotion and Social Concern and East Coast Research and Development Trust — which are under the MHA scanner. The agency has also submitted an adverse report against them for working against the country.
“They have failed to clarify their nature of work in India and how their activities are in the country’s interest. We are going to take action against some more NGOs and their list will be issued soon,” sources said.
Sources said all seven bank accounts of the NGO, including IDBI Bank, ICICI Bank and Yes Bank, have been frozen with immediate effect. The suspension order has been issued to the Chief Functionary of Greenpeace India Society in Chennai. On January 19, 2014, the Ministry had intensified its action against Greenpeace International and issued a directive to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), asking the central bank to seek its permission for any donation to be made to the NGO from overseas contributors.
Then, the security agencies, in their reports to the MHA, had recommended the cancellation of the NGO’s FCRA registration, terming Greenpeace India a threat to the national economic security. The agencies, in their reports, had claimed that Greenpeace was aggressively working against the country’s development. The agencies had also taken a serious note on the UK’s interest in the NGO, whose main offices are located in the Netherlands and Germany.
“The UK’s interest in the NGO became evident after their Parliament invited Greenpeace India to become a witness against the Indian government in a formal hearing. Also, a UK-based television channel was roped in to spread the issue internationally against India’s stand on the issue,” government sources said. It was found that in the last few years, several UK nationals, including cyber experts and activists, had visited the NGO’s offices in India to help organise protest activities.
Not the least, the Centre also expressed his annoyance over Greenpeace India’s participation at the Coal Strategy Conference (CSC) in Istanbul in 2012.
Sources said US-based funding agencies projected India as the primary target for thermal power plant activism, where five Greenpeace activists had reportedly participated in the seminar. The CSC was sponsored by US-based Climate Works Foundation (CWF) and World Resources Institute. The participants had identified 999 thermal power plant sites in the world, of which 50% were in India.
“The Indian participants were asked to intensify their anti-coal protest movements and target coal block allocations with regulators in courts or tribunals, including against Coal India Ltd. They were also asked to raise the issue with a base station at Singrauli at MP,” government sources said.
It was learnt besides Greenpeace, there are other NGOs— including Tuticorin Diocesan Association, Centre for Promotion and Social Concern and East Coast Research and Development Trust — which are under the MHA scanner. The agency has also submitted an adverse report against them for working against the country.
“They have failed to clarify their nature of work in India and how their activities are in the country’s interest. We are going to take action against some more NGOs and their list will be issued soon,” sources said.
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