US warns India over NGO crackdown

The US has criticised the Indian government's crackdown on civil society groups, with Richard Verma, American ambassador to New Delhi, lamenting the "potentially chilling effects" of official curbs on organisations such as the Ford Foundation.

Two weeks ago India placed the US-based Ford Foundation on a national security watchlist, following complaints about the philanthropy group's links to an activist who has sought the conviction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for human rights abuses.

The year-old Hindu nationalist government of Mr Modi has also blocked the bank accounts of Greenpeace India, in part because the environmental organisation has opposed mining projects in rural areas.

"We have one month left to save Greenpeace India from complete shutdown, and to fight [the Ministry of Home Affairs'] indefensible decision to block our domestic accounts," said Samit Aich, executive director.

Indian press reports said the security services were even investigating the health programmes of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, although the home ministry officially denied any such action.

Mr Verma - whose father migrated to the US from India and landed in New York "with $24 and a bus ticket" - was making a speech about the recently improved US-India ties and what he called "our strategic-plus partnership".

He described the relationship as "stronger and more vibrant than it has ever been" and noted the similarities between the two democracies, including their vocal civil society groups; India, he said, had 2m non-government organisations.

"With so many voices engaged in the debate, there are sure to be some whose views others find objectionable," he said. But he added: "I do worry about the potentially chilling effects of these regulatory steps focused on NGOs." Mr Verma also referred to the Gates Foundation's support for rotavirus vaccines that "might save as many as 80,000 children under five each year" from death by diarrhoea.

Despite warm US-India ties following visits to each other's countries by Mr Modi and President Barack Obama, some of the Indian prime minister's supporters on the Hindu right hold intensely nationalist and xenophobic views.

"We don't want foreigners entering our land & making us slaves again through NGOs who sole aim is to convert people," said GG Dhar on Twitter in response to Mr Verma's remarks. The tweet reflected suspicions that NGOs want to convert more Indians to Christianity. Another Twitter user gloated that the US was losing its geopolitical influence and seeking a "new way to destabilise india & hinduism".

Indian and foreign NGO managers say they are puzzled by the government's dealings with them in recent months. In several cases they have first heard of actions against them through leaks to the media from the intelligence services or the home ministry, and say senior bureaucrats usually fail to respond to requests for clarification.

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