Condemning the government's recent crackdown on Greenpeace India, civil society activists on Tuesday sent a protest letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, saying that in a country that has a history of standing up for social justice, ecological sustainability and the rights of the poor, such an act was "shameful".
The letter, endorsed by 182 individuals and organisations, said it was shocking that despite clear judicial pronouncements the government has for a third time acted against Greenpeace India.
The activists called upon the government to immediately stop its illegitimate and repressive moves and respect the freedom of speech that all Indian citizens have a constitutional right to.
"We cannot but conclude that this is an attempt to divert attention from the serious issues that Greenpeace India and many peoples' movements and NGOs are raising, regarding the need to respect the rights of 'adivasis' and others who depend on the forests, wetlands, coastal areas and other ecosystems, and the need to move towards policies that are ecologically sustainable and do not cause further climate change," it said.
The letter, signed by political commentator Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, senior journalist Kuldip Nayar, activist Medha Patkar and conservationist Bittu Sahgal among others, added that large-scale mining, such as in areas where peoples' movements are active, are a threat to forests and other natural ecosystems, to communities that depend on them including tribal people.
"These and other issues are highlighted by organisations such as Greenpeace India, which also generate significant information on the environment, crucial for taking the right decisions regarding sustainable well being," the letter said.
Samit Aich, executive director of Greenpeace India, called the ministry of home affairs' alleged request to the revenue department to revoke the NGO's charity status and society registration an "orchestrated attack on free speech, constitutional rights and India's democratic fabric."
"The new line of attack questioning the charity status of Greenpeace has no more justification than blocking foreign funding or offloading Priya Pillai. Greenpeace India has nothing to hide and will continue to campaign for a sustainable and just future for Indians. Such attempts of clampdown only make us stronger," Aich said.
Ashish Kothari, current Greenpeace India board chairperson, said the move by the home affairs ministry to freeze Greenpeace India's bank accounts and block both international and domestic funds was a "blatant violation of the constitutional rights to freedom of expression and association".
"It also seems to be an attempt to warn civil society that dissent regarding developmental policies will not be tolerated. These are dangerous signs for the future of democracy in India," he said.
The government on April 9 announced it has "temporarily" suspended the registration of Greenpeace India under the foreign contributions law for "under-reporting" such funding and conducting transaction of such funds without informing the authorities as required by the law.
Along with the 180-day suspension, the ministry of home affairs froze all seven bank accounts of the organisation and served it a showcause notice seeking an explanation as to why its licence should not be cancelled.
