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LEH, Sep 25: The Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday cancelled the foreign funding licence of the Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), a Non-Governmental Organisation owned by activist Sonam Wangchuk.
The action comes 24 hours after violent protests in Leh city over statehood and 6th Schedule demand led by Sonam Wangchuk.
According to an MHA order, SECMOL was granted registration under FCRA to accept foreign contributions for cultural and educational programmes.
It stated that the ministry had issued a Show Cause Notice (SCN) on August 20 this year through speed post followed by mail on September 9 to show cause as to why the NGO’s FCRA registration should not be cancelled.
The ministry noted that in view of violations u/s 8(1)(a), 17, 18, 19 and conditions of registration under section 12 (4) (f) (i) of the Act, the FCRA registration certificate of the association is liable to be cancelled in exercise of power u/s 14 of the Act.
It stated that considering the facts and position, the Competent Authority hereby, in exercise of the powers conferred under section 14 (1) of the Act, cancels with immediate effect the FCRA Certificate of Registration No. 152710012R granted to SECMOL.
At least four people died and over 50 were injured after a violent protest broke out in Leh city on Wednesday. Over 30 police and CRPF personnel were also injured during the clash. The Home Ministry, in a statement, blamed Sonam Wangchuk for provoking the mob with his speeches with references to Arab Spring-style protests and Gen Z protests in Nepal.
Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation has begun an inquiry into alleged violation of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act against an institution founded by Ladakh-based educationist and activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday.
There has been an inquiry going on for some time but no FIR has been registered yet, they said.
“The order said we have not taken clearance under FCRA to receive foreign funds. We don’t want to be dependent on foreign funds, but we export our knowledge and raise revenue. In three such instances, they thought it was foreign contribution,” Wangchuk claimed.
He said a CBI team visited HIAL and the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) last week, seeking details of foreign funds received by them between 2022 and 2024.
The teams are still camping in Ladakh and going through accounts and statements of the organisations, he said.
Wangchuk said the matters the complaint refers to were service agreements with taxes duly paid to the government. They pertained to India exporting knowledge to the United Nations, Swiss University and an Italian organisation, he said.
“It was a very dignified assignment. They saw it and they were convinced. They understood it is not helping them, so they began asking for accounts outside that period. Their mandate was to check for accounts during 2022-24, but they started asking for accounts of 2021 and 2020. Then they went to our school asking for various documents outside their mandate period and a school outside the complaint’s purview,” Wangchuk alleged.
Both these schools give free education to needy young students. In HIAL, students are paid stipend for their work on various projects, he said.
“The CBI officers are still camping in Ladakh and rigorously going through records,” Wangchuk said, adding that they have not questioned him.
The activist said first, the local police filed a sedition case against him. This was followed by an order taking back the land given for HIAL, citing that the lease amount was not paid.
“Everyone knows, we have documents to show. The government had almost been apologetic in saying that their lease policy is not formed and hence it cannot take fee. It said ‘please bear with us and continue constructions’,” he claimed.
Wangchuk alleged that this was followed by the CBI action and income tax summons.
“The funny part is, Ladakh is one place where there is no tax. Yet I voluntarily pay taxes, and I get summons. Then they resurrected a four-year-old complaint that labourers were not paid properly. It is guns blazing from all sides on us,” he alleged.
Wangchuk had started a hunger strike on September 10, pressing for Ladakh’s inclusion in the Sixth schedule and for statehood.
The cold desert region witnessed the worst violence since 1989 on Wednesday, when groups of youths indulged in arson and vandalism, targeting the BJP headquarters and the Hill Council, and set ablaze vehicles.
Police and paramilitary forces had to lob teargas shells to bring the situation under control, officials said.
