Greenpeace India Society has just received a notice from the Tamil Nadu Registrar of Societies, summarily announcing the cancellation of its registration as a society.
While several international leaders, including the United Nations Secretary General, have recently upheld the importance of civil society in healthy democracies, this notice is the latest assault on free speech in India, the NGO said in a statement. It said for the last 18 months, Greenpeace India has endured repeated attempts at suppression through different government authorities and is preparing to seek legal redress.
The RoS is clearly acting under directions from the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi, which has been trying to shut Greenpeace India down for over a year now. The MHA’s clumsy tactics to suppress free speech and dissenting voices are turning into a major national and international embarrassment for this government. This is an extension of the deep intolerance for differing viewpoints that sections of this government seem to harbor.Vinuta Gopal, Interim Executive Director, Greenpeace India
The Registrar has passed this order without granting Greenpeace a hearing, and without complying with the Madras High Court order to address each of our points and queries. This is a blatant attempt to circumvent the legal process and shows no respect for the law.Vinuta Gopal, Interim Executive Director, Greenpeace India
We are confident that we are on strong legal ground. We have faith in the legal process and are confident of overcoming this order.Vinuta Gopal, Interim Executive Director, Greenpeace India
Greenpeace India has termed the move a demonstration of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ intolerance for dissent.
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