Home Ministry suspends Greenpeace India’s registration, freezes all 7 bank accounts
by 57 mins ago
The Home Ministry on Thursday suspended the registration of Greenpeace India under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and froze all seven bank accounts of the NGO, alleging that the organisation was encouraging 'anti-development' campaigns.
]![Govt suspended all the seven bank accounts of Greenpeace India. Agencies]()
Govt suspended all the seven bank accounts of Greenpeace India. Agencies
The seven bank accounts of Greenpeace in IDBI Bank, ICICI Bank and Yes Bank have been frozen with immediate effect, according to reports. MHA has also issued a show-cause notice to the NGO, asking why its registration should not be cancelled.
Govt suspended all the seven bank accounts of Greenpeace India. Agencies“The UK Parliament had invited Greenpeace India to “testify” against the Indian government in a formal hearing, A UK-based television channel had also sought to internationalise related issues last year,” The Hindu quoted an MHA official as saying.
The report also said that government agencies had found that various UK-based cyber experts and activists had visited the organisation's office in India to allegedly support it in organising protests.
"This is extremely unfortunate. It is absolutely not the way a government should be working against an organisation which wants to work for the welfare of the scoiety," Divya Raghunathan, a Greenpeace activist told CNN-IBN.
Greenpeace India had alleged on Wednesday that the Union Home Ministry was "once again" seeking to block foreign funds being sent to it and said it was going to seeking legal advice against the move.
"The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recently again sought to block Greenpeace India's access to funds from Greenpeace International, with Euro 148,608 transferred on March 23 being put on hold.
"Greenpeace is seeking legal advice in the matter as the Delhi High Court in January had ordered that Greenpeace India be allowed to access funds sent by Greenpeace International," it had said in a statement.
Samit Aich, Executive Director of Greenpeace India, had said that the MHA's repeated moves to restrict the NGO's funding and the movement of its personnel were clear attempts to "silence criticism and dissent".
"As an organisation registered to receive foreign funds, we have been and will continue to remain transparent and in compliance with FCRA," he had said.
The NGO had also said that, as per its provisional fund-raising figures for the financial year ending 31 March, the group received "Rs 30.36 crore, of which Rs 20.76 crore was given by supporters within India."
"The balance of Rs 9.61 crore was received via foreign donations largely from Greenpeace International and the Bertha Foundation," it had added.
(With inputs from PTI) http://www.firstpost.com/india/home-ministry-suspends-greenpeace-indias-registration-freezes-7-bank-accounts-2190841.html?utm_source=FP_TOP_NEWS