Ban on Pillai's foreign travel to continue if she plans to

Ban on foreign travel for Greenpeace activist Priya Pillai, who was offloaded from a London-bound flight recently, will continue if she plans to criticise and "badmouth" about domestic issues abroad.
Pillai was off loaded on January 11 when she was on her way to London to meet UK lawmakers on domestic issues. However, she later addressed the gathering on 'Skype' video conference.
She will not be allowed to make deposition before foreign governments and agencies as such presentations are often allegedly used against India in international trade negotiations, a Home Ministry official said.
"No one will be allowed to appear before foreign governments and agencies badmouthing India, which ultimately brings trouble for the government in international fora.

"However, Pillai will be allowed to travel abroad if she intends to go for other purposes like tourism," a Home Ministry official said.
Pillai, after being off-loaded, had approached the Delhi High Court which has observed that the government should draw a line between "nationalism and jingoism". The case is listed for hearing on February 18.

She has contended that not allowing her to go to London was "completely unlawful and malafide and without any authority of law" and demanded quashing of the alleged 'Look Out Circular' against her.
Explaining the reasons behind the decision to offload Pillai from flight, the official said she was allegedly supposed to make her presentation before some British MPs on India's environmental issues.

"Individual testimony has great value globally. Many foreign governments and agencies prepare report on such testimony and distribute them among European nations and share it even with the US and other developed countries. Very often, all such testimonies are used against India in international trade negotiations, which we cannot allow to continue," the official said.
Submission before British MPs is akin to deposition before the United Kingdom government. It is beyond someone's comprehension how can a foreign government solve India's domestic problems, the official said.
He contended there were several redressal forums within the country besides the courts for NGOs to raise their grievances.