MHA cancels FCRA license of Sonam Wangchuk's SECMOL to receive foreign funding after Ladakh clashes
Sonam Wangchuk said earlier that a CBI team visited Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL) and the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) seeking details of foreign funds received by them between 2022 and 2024.
The government cancelled educationist and activist Sonam Wangchuk's SECMOL's Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act licence a day after four people were killed in protests in Ladakh.
The cancellation means the Leh-based institute will no longer be able to receive or utilise foreign funding.
"Considering the facts and position narrated in preceding paras, 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 the association "Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh," the letter read, as per the Hindustan Times.
What's the matter?
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) initiated an inquiry into alleged violation of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act against an institution founded by Sonam Wangchuk, officials told PTI on Thursday.
Wangchuk had said that a CBI team visited Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL) and the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) seeking details of foreign funds received by them between 2022 and 2024.
There has been an inquiry going on for some time but no FIR has been registered yet, officials told PTI.
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 was quoted as saying.
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.
Ladakh protest
Four persons were killed and more than 80 others were injured in widespread clashes amid a shutdown in Ladakh on Wednesday, as hundreds of protesters supporting the movement for statehood to Ladakh and extension of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution turned violent, setting the BJP office and several vehicles in Leh on fire.
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.