The filmmaker and social activist Mahesh Bhatt wrote in an article in Times that " IB reports against NGOs are more sinister in intent than in content".
Mahesh Bhatt wrote : " The days of democracy are doomed, dead and buried if it doesn't offer space for dissent and an alternative perspective. Howard Zinn, one of the best-known historians on people's movement, even went to the extent of saying that “protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy , it is absolutely essential to it, and there's no greater patriotism than dissent“.
INDIA HONEST cannot digest the idea of Bhatt that "protest beyond the law in democracy is patriotism ", no it is not democratic, as anything beyond the law is extremism or an act similar to violent killings done by Maoist. Any protest in design of Maoism is only criminal and anti national only in democracy.
The social activist Mahesh Bhatt further said, "The so-called leaked Intelligence Bureau reports singling out NGOs, especially Greenpeace, for throwing a spanner in India's development and curtailing the country's GDP by the ludicrous extent of 2-3%, are more sinister in their intent than in content. They foretell the mindset of a dispensation that is at the helm in Delhi and a glimpse into retrograde steps that are likely to unfold in the days to come."
"Not even for a second do i imply that all NGOs are above board. Crooks are everywhere and it's no body's argument that they shouldn't be brought to book. I would have had no problem if the law of the land had been applied with its full might against those violating the law rather than a largely discredited agency like IB being allowed to malign the civil society sector as a whole."
INDIA HONEST wishes to understand, where Mr. Bhatt has gone wrong in making the accusation, because this IB report was made long back and only during the tenure of the last UPA government and as such the blame of retrograde intent of the present government is clearly a false accusation, in advance, only to demonise the corrective future steps.
The said negative effect on GDP is visible without any explanation by the IB report and how much the NGO activities helped in creation of the adverse atmosphere is a point of debate, but surely it is a fact that few of the NGO has acted in past against the broader national interest. Look how the Korean major Posco has been held up for a decade, while we still have to import huge quantity of steel from outside.
Yes Mr. Bhat, IH agrees that "Crooks are everywhere", but IH also wants you to add that "saints among the NGOs are rare" and Greenpeace is surely not the rare one.Your apprehension of discrimination is much unfounded, as alike you, the present Modi government is equally patriotic and will do everything to safeguard the interest of people and economy first .
Yes those who are acting in the disguise of true NGOs, but collecting foreign funds only to stall Indian interests, must be exposed and treated according to the law of land of a democratic India.
Moreover why one will malign the civil society ? Did anyone maligned Binoba Bhave's Bhoodan Andolan ? Many NGO's working for poor, slum dweller's upliftment, rehabilitation of destitute , old and widows in the society are doing noble social work and those are highly acclaimed by the society . One and all must support their activities with or without foreign support.