Express News Service By

NEW DELHI: The Centre has so far banned 13 foreign activists of Greenpeace International from entering India including nine from the UK, three from the USA and an Australian national.

These activists have been blacklisted as their activities were found to be in violation of visa rules and they were found to be training, motivating and organising Greenpeace India’s activists to create field level protests near thermal plant and coal mine locations, apart from other activities that would damage India’s energy security interests, Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) has told the Delhi High Court.

The MHA on the basis of intelligence inputs has suggested that Greenpeace UK office has keen interest in promoting the growth of Greenpeace India’s ground level protests. Home Ministry has also raised suspicion over the funding pattern of Greenpeace International.

According to the MHA, it had been noted the Netherland-headquartered Greenpeace International was focussing on India’s energy plants in the couple of years.This was believd to be at the behest of foreign interests inimical to the overall national interests of India.

Greenpeace campaigner Priya Pillai has questioned the government move to issuing a look out circular and deny her permission to travel to the UK.