Indian Environmental Activist Harjeet Singh's Home Raided in Fossil Fuel Crackdown
In a move that has sent shockwaves through India's environmental activist community, Indian police raided the home of prominent climate campaigner Harjeet Singh and his wife Jyoti Awasthi over allegations that they had received millions of pounds to promote an international treaty aimed at curbing fossil fuel use.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), a law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing economic laws in India, claimed that Singh's group, Satat Sampada (Nature Forever), was paid nearly £500,000 to advocate for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (FFNPT). However, the ED argued that this funding was likely intended to promote the agenda of the FFNPT within India, potentially exposing the country to international legal challenges and compromising its energy security.
Singh, a respected figure in India's climate change movement, has worked with numerous international NGOs and climate campaigns over the past two decades. The raid on his home came after investigators began looking into trips he made to Pakistan and Bangladesh last year, including their funding sources.
Singh and Awasthi denied the allegations, stating that they had received financial support from foreign groups through legitimate consultancy charges and that the group was initially funded by their own savings. They also pointed out that Singh's work and contributions have been well-documented across various media platforms.
The raid has raised concerns about the treatment of environmental activists in India under the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has faced criticism for suppressing dissenting voices. The ED's actions have led to the suspension of nearly 17,000 licenses to receive foreign funding and the closure of numerous civil society organizations.
As tensions surrounding climate change policy continue to escalate, Singh's case highlights the challenges faced by environmental activists in India who are pushing for action on this critical issue.
In a move that has sent shockwaves through India's environmental activist community, Indian police raided the home of prominent climate campaigner Harjeet Singh and his wife Jyoti Awasthi over allegations that they had received millions of pounds to promote an international treaty aimed at curbing fossil fuel use.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), a law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing economic laws in India, claimed that Singh's group, Satat Sampada (Nature Forever), was paid nearly £500,000 to advocate for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (FFNPT). However, the ED argued that this funding was likely intended to promote the agenda of the FFNPT within India, potentially exposing the country to international legal challenges and compromising its energy security.
Singh, a respected figure in India's climate change movement, has worked with numerous international NGOs and climate campaigns over the past two decades. The raid on his home came after investigators began looking into trips he made to Pakistan and Bangladesh last year, including their funding sources.
Singh and Awasthi denied the allegations, stating that they had received financial support from foreign groups through legitimate consultancy charges and that the group was initially funded by their own savings. They also pointed out that Singh's work and contributions have been well-documented across various media platforms.
The raid has raised concerns about the treatment of environmental activists in India under the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has faced criticism for suppressing dissenting voices. The ED's actions have led to the suspension of nearly 17,000 licenses to receive foreign funding and the closure of numerous civil society organizations.
As tensions surrounding climate change policy continue to escalate, Singh's case highlights the challenges faced by environmental activists in India who are pushing for action on this critical issue.
I'm not saying Harjeet and Jyoti didn't do everything by the book, but millions of pounds to promote some treaty? That's a lot of money. And if it was just consultancy charges, why were they raided? It seems like the ED was just looking for an excuse to crack down on climate activists.
The government should be supporting environmental activists, not harassing them. This whole thing just smells like a witch hunt to me.
The way we think about power and money is so messed up right now... If Harjeet Singh and his wife were given £500k to "promote" a treaty, that's just code for them being bought off, right? 
It's a false narrative if you ask me.
. The fact that his home was raided and he's being accused of accepting funds from foreign groups to promote an international treaty raises serious questions about the government's intentions. It seems like the authorities are trying to silence activists who are pushing for climate action, which is a crucial issue in India right now 
.
️. The fact that Singh and his wife have denied the charges and provided explanations about their funding sources suggests that there may be more to this story than meets the eye 
.
.
. Like, come on guys, can't they see he's just trying to make a difference? 
And all these claims about the £500k being for promoting an international treaty in India just don't add up... I mean, wouldn't that be kinda obvious if it was legit? 
. And honestly, I'm not even sure why Singh and Awasthi are being questioned so harshly - they've done plenty of good work in their field.
. But seriously, it's time for the government to step up and support climate activism, not shut it down 
this is so concerning... i mean india has a right to regulate its own borders but targeting harjeet singh over his work on climate change feels like an overreach. 500k pounds seems like a lot, but what if he really did get that much funding? and even if the money was "illegitimate", shouldn't he be able to just pay it back? 
what's next? 
will they start targeting online content creators like me who speak out against this stuff? 
shouldn't we be supporting ppl like harjeet singh instead of going after them? 
500k pounds is a lot of cash, but can't they just give him the money directly? 
. And let's be real, if a climate campaigner is accused of taking millions from foreign groups, it's probably just an excuse to silence them 
.
. The fact that Singh and his wife are being targeted for doing their job just shows how afraid the powers that be are of losing control 
.
. And if we want to really make a difference on climate change, we need to stand up for these activists and support them every step of the way 
.
Hasn't India already shown a track record of prioritizing economic growth over environmental protection? 
... I mean, Harjeet Singh is like a hero in my eyes - all that hard work promoting climate change awareness and now he's being targeted like this? It just shows how scary it must be to stand up for what you believe in. I'm worried about other environmental activists who might get caught in the crossfire too 
. Harjeet Singh's been a major player in the fight against fossil fuels, and now they're being accused of corruption? 
.
, and I hope he can clear his name soon 
️)
Those edicts need to chill out and focus on the real issues, like actually reducing fossil fuel use! 
The way Singh and his wife were treated is straight up unfair 
. It's not about the money, it's about their dedication to saving our planet 
Singh and his wife have done nothing wrong, and it's disheartening to see their reputation being tarnished by baseless allegations. 