New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) Terming the cancellation by the government of its licence to receive foreign funds an ‘onslaught against rights’, Greenpeace India on Friday announced a drive to recreate Bollywood posters to reclaim freedom of speech and dissent.
The campaign would recreate Bollywood movie posters and highlight real life stories about reclaiming freedom of speech, the NGO said in a statement on Friday, adding that it would continue its campaigns with the support of its Indian donors.
“While our continued existence has been no less dramatic than the best of Bollywood, with twists and turns every day, our story is far from unique,” Vinuta Gopal, interim co-executive director of Greenpeace India said in the statement.
She said similar clampdowns have been seen across the country but the organisation is confident that people would join its campaign.
“We are confident that people will join our campaign, and send a clear message to those in power: you can’t muzzle dissent in a democracy.”
The decision to cancel the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence came five months after the home ministry suspended the NGO’s licence 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.
