Greenpeace activist offloaded at Delhi airport

BHOPAL: Greenpeace India employee Priya Pillai, who had a valid UK business visa and was scheduled to address British MPs in London on January 14, was stopped at New Delhi airport on Sunday by immigration officers and barred from flying. She was invited to speak on coal mining infringing upon rights of forest communities in India, particularly Madhya Pradesh and her current campaign with local communities against a Essar coal project in Mahan.
This has come as a rude shock to Pillai and Greenpeace, who were hoping to showcase their work on a global platform, an official release said.
Speaking to TOI, Pillai said, "I was informed by airport authorities that I am banned from leaving India even though there are no criminal cases against me. I kept asking them for a valid reason, they said upper se adesh hey (orders from above)." Her passport has been stamped - Offload.
"I am shocked and saddened that government is running roughshod on people working to protect democratic rights. I was scheduled to tell the story on how Indian government and Essar, a foreign registered billionaire corporation, are hell bent on trampling upon rights and existence guaranteed by the Constitution," she said.
Immigration officials told her they are not opposed to her travelling, but they are just following orders from the government. "Has working for most marginalised people become an offence in India," Pillai asked.
This is the second time, a Greenpeace employee are been denied a go-ahead by airport authorities despite possessing a valid visa. In September last year, Greenpeace campaigner Ben Hargreaves, a UK national, was refused entry into India.
Greenpeace India's executive director, Samit Aich said, "The government's intentions are clear. They are trying to intimidate and bully Greenpeace and its employees, but I will reiterate that such acts only make us resolute."
Greenpeace India has written to ministry of home and external affairs and Airport Authority of India protesting against the ban on Pillai. Last year, the home ministry directed freezing of Greenpeace India's foreign funds. This has been challenged in Delhi high court and next hearing is on January 20.