Twitter
Advertisement

Greenpeace faces shutdown as funds dry up following government action

In April, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) had suspended the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of the NGO alleging that they had routed foregin funding to local accounts without legal consent. Following the FCRA show cause notice, the government also froze their domestic accounts, crippling the operations of the NGO.

Latest News
article-main
Pic for representation only
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

In an address to employees of Greenpeace India from its headquarters in Bengaluru, the NGO's executive director Samit Aich informed them on Tuesday to prepare for an imminent shutdown in a month's time as a result of the Central government's decision to block its domestic accounts. Majority of the NGO's funding comes from 77,000 domestic donors.

In April, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) had suspended the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of the NGO alleging that they had routed foregin funding to local accounts without legal consent. Following the FCRA show cause notice, the government also froze their domestic accounts, crippling the operations of the NGO.

In a note released by Greenpeace, Samit Aich said, "I just made one of the hardest speeches of my life, but my staff deserve to know the truth. We have one month left to save Greenpeace India from complete shutdown, and to fight MHA's indefensible decision to block our domestic accounts."

The NGO has been left with funds for staff salaries and office costs that will last for just about a month. Calling it 'strangulation by stealth' Greenpeace India challenged the home minister to stop using arbitrary penalties and admit that he is trying to shut Greenpeace India down because of its successful campaigns. Aich told his employees that beyond June 1, the NGO's cash reserves for salaries and office costs will run dry.

The NGO, which began campaigning in India from 2001, has been at loggerheads with the National Democratic Alliance government ever since a leaked Intelligence Bureau report accused it of working against the economic interests of the country. In January this year, the immigration officials deplaned Greenpeace campaigner Priya Pillai from a United Kingdom bound flight where she was scheduled to address British parliamentarians on tribals living in Mahan forests, Madhya Pradesh. Later, it emerged that immigration officials deplaned her as he name figured on the lookout notice. The organization moved Delhi high court after the incident and won the case. The Delhi HC slammed the government for muzzling dissent and asked them to expunge the 'offloaded' remark from Priya Pillai's passport.

Greenpeace India has its registered office in Chennai and is headquartered in Bengaluru. It also has offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Patna, Pune and Hyderabad. It has a staff strength of 340 people across these offices. It has in the past, carried out wide campaigns against nuclear power, coal energy, genetically modified food, nuclear liability bill and pesticide-free farming.

According to Greenpeace employees, although the situation is grim, many are willing to continue to fight till the legal challenge against blocking of domestic accounts reaches its conclusion. Samit Aich, employees added, spoke about the fact that Greenpeace has been marked since the IB report came out and believed they are being targeted since their campaigns have been successful.

Greenpeace International, too, will soon express their stand on the issue, an insider said.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement