MHA defends Greenpeace FCRA registration cancellation in HC

The Union Home Ministry (MHA) on Friday defended its decision to cancel the foreign contribution registration of Greenpeace India before the Delhi High Court, saying the NGO had violated the norms by opening five accounts to utilise foreign donations without informing the relevant authorities.

The MHA, in an <g data-gr-id="17">affidavit</g> before Justice V P Vaish charged Greenpeace with violating Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by merging its foreign donations with domestic contributions. 

Holding that Greenpeace have not come before the court with clean hands, the ministry said they were "continuing to use their FCRA accounts despite <g data-gr-id="16">suspension</g> of the same on April 9, 2015". "It is submitted that sufficient materials are <g data-gr-id="15">there</g> to prove that Greenpeace violated various sections of FCRA 2010, which are also mentioned in the suspension order <g data-gr-id="13">dt</g>. April 9.

"The suspension order mention about acts and omissions on the part of Greenpeace regarding violations of provisions of FCRA 2010 and Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules (FCRR) 2011 and a reasonable opportunity was also given to them," the MHA said in their affidavit.