January 11: A black day for fundamental rights in India

Hi  On January 11, the Indian government went against an Indian citizen and her freedom of speech. I was banned from travelling to London to address a British Parliamentary panel to highlight the struggle in the Mahan forests.[1] Essar Energy, a British-registered company, has coal-mining plans that will destroy the forests and impact the livelihoods of the community. This is undemocratic because I have no criminal convictions or any court order dictating me to stay in the country. The immigration officers did not let me board my flight. “We are following the orders of the government” is the explanation they gave. Has working for people’s rights and protecting our environment become an offence in India? It has been five days and I am yet to receive a response from our government. I am following the legal course of action but will that be enough? This is not just my fight, but yours too. Tell the government to lift my travel ban and give back my rights! Intimidation and arrests. Ban on travel. Foreign funds frozen.[2] This is just the latest in a series of attacks against civil society and Greenpeace India. Is questioning authorities and demanding the right to dissent now against the national interest? We have challenged our foreign funds being frozen in the Delhi High Court and the hearing is on January 20. My trip to the UK was neither an attack on the Indian Government, nor a violation of the laws of our country. Then why was I debarred from leaving the country? Tell the government to lift my travel ban and give back my rights! Thanks for your support. And I will keep you posted. Priya Pillai Greenpeace India

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Sources     Greenpeace campaigner Priya Pillai ‘offloaded’ at Delhi from flight headed to London : http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/greenpeace-campaigner-offloaded-at-delhi-from-flight-headed-to-london/ India cracks down on Greenpeace and other environmental groups http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-india-crackdown-greenpeace-20150113-story.html

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