The central government on Friday told the Delhi High Court that NGO Greenpeace India had violated the norms by opening five accounts to utilise foreign donations without informing the relevant authorities as it sought to explain the reason to cancel its foreign contribution registration.
Justice V.P. Vaish was informed that Greenpeace violated Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by merging its foreign donations with domestic contributions.
In an affidavit, the home ministry said the NGO was continuing to use their FCRA accounts despite suspension of the same on April 9.
The central government has filed its affidavit on a plea of the NGO challenging suspension of its FCRA registration and freezing of its foreign and domestic contribution accounts. The ministry had on April 9 year suspended the NGO's registration under FCRA for 180 days and also froze its seven bank accounts, alleging the environmental group was working against the country's economic progress and public interest. The government had cited alleged violation of norms by the NGO by opening five accounts to use foreign donations without informing the authorities concerned, and also accused the NGO of under-reporting and repeatedly mentioning inaccurate amounts of its foreign contributions.
The government on Thursday cancelled the registration of Greenpeace India under the Foreign Contribution Regulations Act (FCRA) for its activities which allegedly hampered country's economic growth.
Terming the action the "government's latest move in a relentless onslaught against the community's right to dissent" and "yet another attempt to silence campaigns for a more sustainable future", Greenpeace India said it will not be deterred.
The decision would mean that the NGO will not be able to receive from abroad the funds, which are up to 30 percent of its overall cost of its operations.
With IANS