Alarm over Amnesty closure

NEW DELHI: India should not replicate China by trying to stamp out dissent, civil liberty activists said on Thursday, alarmed over Amnesty International’s decision to temporarily close its offices in India after facing political protests and sedition charges.

HT Image

Police launched an investigation after receiving a complaint from a right-wing students’ group that “anti-India” slogans were raised at an event hosted by the charity in Bangalore last week. The rights group has asked its staff not to come to office for now.

The move has left charities and non-government organisations nervous.

“The government is investigating and I hope no charges will be framed,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, director human rights watch, South Asia.

“But the broader concern is that the anti-national narrative is picking up and we need to hear people raising slogans, which is a peaceful way as compared to (using a) gun.”

Since Prime Minister Modi came to power the government has tightened rules regulating charities, including cancelling the registration of about 10,000 groups for failing to declare details of overseas donations.

The government accused foreign charities of trying to hamper industrial projects on social and environmental grounds, and Modi criticised what he called “five-star activists.” The charities say they are being targeted selectively as part of a campaign to control free speech and dissent.

The Amnesty move signals a further shrinking of space for civil society and dissent in India, said Ravi Chellam, head Greenpeace India, which faced shutdown after authorities blocked foreign funding and froze its bank accounts last year.

“I understand that a police complaint has been registered and is being investigated, but it seems very improbable that Amnesty International will be required to or is planning to close operations in India as a result of this,” Chellam told Hindustan Times.

“On the larger issue of action being taken against NGOs; yes, we are all governed by the law and if the institution is at fault, action should be taken. But no one should be targeted simply for raising their voice against the government, or for airing opinions that may be in contradiction to the official line.”

Nikhil Dey, a leading Right to Information activist, termed the sedition charges as unfortunate, saying an institution cannot be booked for sedition.