The Union Home Ministry has sent a questionnaire to Greenpeace asking the environmental group to provide details regarding foreign funding and spending pattern after the Intelligence Bureau (IB) submitted a report on NGOs that may be acting against the interests of the country.
The IB had accused the NGO of opposing several development projects in India “negatively impacting economic development”. It had described Greenpeace “a threat to national economic security”.
Officials said the questionnaire has been sent by the Foreigners Division of the Home Ministry under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.
The queries relate to the functioning of Greenpeace, source of funds, its beneficiaries and purpose for which the fund has been spent.
On Wednesday, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that he had “no information” on IB submitting any such report.
Bharati Sinha, a spokesperson for Greenpeace, said they were yet to receive any such letter. She said such queries keep coming regularly and they had answered one such a few months ago.
Greenpeace on Wednesday refuted the charges of stalling development, saying these are “conscious attempt to crush and stifle” opposing voices in the civil society. It also said the allegation of foreign hand seems to be the favourite stick for governments to silence voices of opposition time and again.
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