Greenpeace welcomes relief to Priya Pillai

Greenpeace India on Thursday welcomed the relief granted to activist Priya Pillai by the Delhi High Court which quashed the 'look out' circular against her.

"Greenpeace India welcomed the court's decision as a vindication of the group's legitimacy and the validity of its campaigns for the rights of people to their land and forests for clean energy, a healthy environment and to hold corporations and the government accountable," it said in a statement.

Pillai said: "We are relieved that the court has cracked down on this undemocratic abuse of power by the government. The bar on my travel was a clear violation of civil rights."

"If this government is genuine about its promise of inclusive development that benefits all, it needs to work with civil society rather than seek to suppress it. We hope that this signals the end of the harassment that Greenpeace India and other genuine activists are facing," she said.

Pillai, who was stopped from flying to London in January, was granted relief by the court which quashed the 'look out' circular issued against her.

Justice Rajiv Shakdher also directed the central government to expunge endorsements made while offloading Pillai from a flight to London by immigration officials at the Delhi airport on January 11.

Pillai was invited to talk about her campaign with communities in Mahan in Madhya Pradesh, where a proposed coal mining project is allegedly threatening to uproot the lives and livelihood of the community.