In the midst of news reports surfacing over suspension of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) license of NGO Greenpeace India by the Ministry of Home Affair, the NGO has issued a statement saying that till now it has not received any official confirmation on the reported developments.

According to reports, MHA has suspended the organisation’s FCRA license and issued a showcause notice to the NGO asking why its registration should not be cancelled. Greenpeace India so far has not received any official communication from MHA, but is currently seeking legal counsel on the information available on MHA’s website.

Samit Aich, executive director, Greenpeace India said, “This is a smear, pure and simple. All of this was put before the Delhi High Court when we brought a case against the Centre, and the court decided in our favour. This feels like a revealing moment, one that says much more about the MHA than it does about Greenpeace. We believe in the Indian legal system. A campaign is being waged against dissent, but we will not be cowed.”

On January 11, Priya Pillai, a campaigner with Greenpeace, was barred from travelling to the UK and giving a presentation to the ‘All Party Parliamentarian Group’ (APPG) on Indo-Britain relations and tribal affairs about alleged human rights violations of the tribal community by Essar Power (a company registered in the UK) in the Mahan coal block area of Singrauli district, Madhya Pradesh. Challenging the Centre’s actions, Pillai approached the Delhi high court. The government, in its defense, had accused the NGO of threatening national economic security and presenting India in a bad light in front of the world due to vested interests. Later on March 12, the high court set aside the government’s lookout circular that prevented Pillai from visiting the UK.

“We will continue to work towards clean air, clean water and inclusive development in India because we believe that every citizen is entitled to it. Our work is supported by people of this country and 70 percent of Greenpeace India’s funds come from Indian donors,” Aich added.