Home Ministry asks RBI to block foreign funding to Greenpeace India

Soon after the Intelligence Bureau report on Greenpeace India allegedly misusing foreign funds to hamper India’s economic growth, the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a directive to the Reserve Bank of India asking it to put on hold all foreign contributions originating from Greenpeace International and Climate Works Foundation. “In a letter dated 13th June, the Ministry has directed the Reserve Bank of India that all foreign contributions originating from Greenpeace International and Climate Works Foundation — two principal international contributors to Greenpeace India Society — must be kept on hold until individual clearances are obtained from the Ministry for each transaction,” said a report in The Hindu. [caption id=“attachment_1579185” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  In tussle with the government. AFP[/caption] The central bank has also been instructed to convey the decision to all banks and to find out if any government department is in receipt of such funds. According to a report in The Indian Express, the IB “has advised the government to cancel the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of Greenpeace, re-assess its tax compliance and place all its international affiliates on a home ministry watch list”. It further added that the Greenpeace India has sought local funding in view of the intense flak it is facing and in order to “mask” its actual “sources of funding”. Reacting to the second dossier which was submitted to the PMO on 9 June, Bharti Sinha, spokesperson for Greenpeace India told NDTV, ““We are being targeted as an NGO which follows all the laws of the country. We show all the transparency and place our annual reports on website for everybody to see.” The first IB report had said, “Greenpeace alone was leading a “massive effort to take down India’s coal-fired power plant and coal mining activity.”