Greenpeace has sought explanation from the union home ministry after one of its members was denied entry into India on Saturday despite having a valid visa and other relevant documents.
Indian immigration officials denied entry to Aaron Gray-Block, who was travelling from Sydney on an Australian passport, which was seized by Indian officials. He was then forced onto a flight to Kuala Lumpur, where he got his passport back.
"No formal reason was given by the immigration officials for the decision and he was not officially deported," IANS quoted the NGO as saying.
Greenpeace India programme director Divya Raghunandan has sought an explanation from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on the current event.
"Our colleague has a valid business visa, and yet he was prevented from entering India with no reason given... We support the free movement of people across the world, which is crucial to the work of business as well as charities. Greenpeace International is a global organisation that helps to find solutions to environmental problems. There is absolutely no reason why one of its staff members should be treated in such an arbitrary way," Raghunandan said.
"We are forced to wonder if all international staff of Greenpeace will now be prevented from entering the country? If Home Minister Rajnath Singh has a stand on this, then we would like him to state it clearly," she added.
Gray-Block was travelling to India to take part in meetings with the NGO's staff and learn more about Greenpeace India's current campaigns.
