FM Arun Jaitley takes on PIL activists over funding

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Friday that it should be mandatory for those filing public interest litigations (PILs) against the government on development projects to declare their source of funds.

Jaitley's comment came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned the Judiciary against being influenced by "five-star activists". The remarks also came a day after the government barred Greenpeace India from receiving foreign funds with immediate effect and freezing all its accounts alleging it has prejudicially affected the country's public and economic interests.

Stating that several PILs are influenced by the source of funds, Jaitley suggested that a document declaring the origin of funding should be attached to PILs by petitioners.

"Those who file PILs against developmental works of government must be more transparent than us (government) as they call themselves crusaders. People should know from where they are getting funds to file these PILs," said Jaitley at a conference on regulatory framework for India's first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in Gandhinagar.

"I am raising this issue because PILs are many times inspired by the funding sources. I believe that it should be mandatory to declare their funding sources and that document should also be attached with the PIL," the minister added.

Modi, addressing a joint conference of Chief Justices of High Courts and chief ministers last Sunday, had said that while the Judiciary is getting powerful, it is necessary that it also becomes perfect to live up to the expectations of the people. "It is easy to deliver judgements based on the law and the Constitution. There is a need to be cautious against perception-driven verdicts," Modi had said adding that perceptions are often driven by five-star activists.

Jaitley indicated further tax reforms for the proposed financial services centre to make it globally competitive.

"An internationally compatible and non-adversarial tax regime is needed," he said. On the economic mood in the country, he said that the Modi government has succeeded in changing the mood of despondency among corporate India.