Greenpeace staffer denied entry to India

A Greenpeace International staff was denied entry into India as his named figured in Home Ministry's "blacklist", triggering protests from the NGO which dubbed allegations of wrongdoing as "farce and a smear".
Aaron Gray-Block, a crisis response campaigner with Greenpeace International, was sent back to Australia from Bengaluru on Saturday.
"Gray-Block arrived at Bengaluru airport on June 6 at 2340 hours. His name figured in the black list and thus was denied entry," a Home Ministry spokesperson said today.
Official sources said Gray-Block had earlier campaigned against mining of Mahan coal block (Madhya Pradesh) and had written several articles and blogs criticising the Indian government.

A Greenpeace India statement quoting Gray-Block said,"We have not received any communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Ministry of External Affairs in this regard. These ministries need to give an explanation to this."
Gray-Block had flown in from Sydney on Saturday to take part in a series of meetings with staff here. He was travelling on an Australian passport.

The Australia-born former journalist lives in the Netherlands and has been associated with Greenpeace International for the past several years.
In a tweet, Gray-Block said he was refused entry into India despite having valid business visa.
Under government's scanner for allegedly violating various provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, Greenpeace India claimed that no formal reason was given by immigration officials in Bangalore for the decision to turn back Gray-Block, who was not officially deported.

"I arrived at Bangalore Airport with a valid business visa issued by the Indian embassy in Australia. My visit to India was to learn more about Greenpeace India's environmental campaigns on clean air, clean water and access to clean and cheap electricity. Any suggestion of wrongdoing is a farce and a smear.
"Indians, like Australians, have a right to clean air, clean water and climate friendly, non-polluting electricity. There is no reason for me to be included in any blacklist," he said.
Gray-Block claimed that his previous previous visit to India was to participate in a staff skill share and to support the communications related to Greenpeace International Executive Director Kumi Naidoo's Indian visit.