Foreign funding licence of Sonam Wangchuk's NGO revoked amid Ladakh protests

The government revoked on Thursday evening the FCRA registration of Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk’s nonprofit, the Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), citing “repeat” breaches of laws regulating foreign funding for non-governmental organisations.

The decision came just a day after violent protests erupted over demands for Ladakh’s statehood.

Earlier on Thursday, sources informed NDTV that the central government was contemplating action against Wangchuk, who has emerged as a leading figure in the Ladakh statehood movement and has been identified with the violence that claimed four lives. His "provocative speeches" are said to have provoked a mob attack at a local BJP office and that of the Ladakh election officer, according to the Home Ministry.

Investigations allegedly revealed "serious financial irregularities" in SECMOL's activities, including repeated violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.

NDTV obtained the government's notice on SECMOL's alleged infractions, which showed that a show-cause notice had been issued on September 10 with four queries.

The one involved Wangchuk depositing Rs 3.35 lakh into SECMOL's FCRA account illegally. The nonprofit clarified that the money was realized from the sale of an old bus, which had been bought originally with FCRA funds, and hence it was remitted back to the account. The government refused to accept the explanation as "not tenable."

"... credit entry of this much amount is not found in FCRA account of the association. It seems the amount was received in cash in violation of Section 17 of the Act..."

A Rs 4.93 lakh donation from a Swedish donor towards youth awareness programmes for climate change, migration, and food security was questioned as well. The government labeled this donation "against the national interest of the country.

Two other matters were brought to notice, concerning amounts of Rs 19,600 and Rs 79,200, which the government has claimed were credited to SECMOL's FCRA accounts mistakenly.

Wangchuk, who is well known to have been a symbol of the Ladakhi movement for statehood, had been on a hunger strike to support the cause. Expecting government action, he said in an interview with news agency PTI that he is ready to be held under the strict Public Safety Act.

"I see they are building up a case to bring me under the Public Safety Act and throw me in jail for two years," he said, "I am ready... but a Sonam Wangchuk in jail may cause them more problems than a free Sonam Wangchuk."