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New Delhi [India], September 25 (ANI): The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday cancelled the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) licence of innovator and education reformist Sonam Wangchuk’s Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) over alleged violations of the act.

The cancellation means the Leh-based institute will no longer be able to receive or utilise foreign funding.

Officials said the decision followed a review of compliance records as Wangchuk, during Financial Year 2021-22, deposited Rs 3.5 lakh into the FCRA account of the association in violation of section 17 of the Act.

However, it is stated by the association in its clarification that this amount is sale proceeds of old bus procured from FCRA fund.

Although credit entry of this much amount is not found in FCRA account of the association, said the MHA, adding it seems that the amount has been received in cash in violation of section 17 of the Act which is not properly disclosed by the association in its reply.

“Further, an amount of Rs 3,35,000 has been intimated by the association in FC-4 as Foreign Contribution (FC) donation from Wangchuk. However, this transaction is not reflected in FCRA Account in violation of section 18 of the Act,” an order pointed.

SECMOL was granted registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 to accept foreign contribution for undertaking Cultural and Educational programme.

The MHA had served a show cause notice against the organisation on August 20 this year through speed post followed by mail on September 10 as to why its FCRA registration certificate should not be cancelled in exercise of section 14 of the Act.

The association made their submission through mail on September 19.

The Ministry further pointed that during financial year 2020-21, local funds amounting Rs 54,600 were deposited in the FCRA account of the association by three individual (Rs 18,200 each) in violations of section 17 of the Act.

In its reply, SECMOL shared that the amount of Rs 54,600 shown as a local fund (deposited by three different individuals Rs 18200 each) was received from volunteers towards their food and accommodation. However, the association informed, this amount was mistakenly transferred into our FCRA account instead of the local account. It also pointed in its reply that the website of the organisation clearly specifies that Indian volunteers should transfer contributions to the local account and foreign volunteers to the FCRA account.

Despite these instructions, the association says, the volunteers inadvertently sent to the wrong account.

MHA further said “as admitted by the association, local fund were credited into FCRA account in violation of section 17 of the Act.”

Besides, the MHA indicated some other violations of fundings and took its action.

The move comes a day after a mob instigated by Wangchuk’s provocative speeches left the venue of his hunger strike and attacked a political party office as well as Government office of the CEC Leh. They also put these offices on fire, attacked the security personnel, and torched police vehicle.

The unruly mob attacked the police personnel in which more than 30 police and Central Reserve Police Foce personnel were injured. The mob continued to destroy the public property and attack the police personnel. In self-defence, police had to resort to firing in which unfortunately some casualties are reported.

A hunger strike was started by Wangchuk on September 10 stating the demand of 6th schedule and statehood for Ladakh. It is well known that the Central government has been actively engaged with Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance on same issues. Series of meetings were held with them through formal channel of High-Powered Committee as well as Sub-committee and multiple informal meetings with leaders.

The process of dialogue through this mechanism has yielded phenomenal results by increasing reservations for Ladakh scheduled tribe from 45 per cent to 84 per cent, providing one-third women reservations in the councils and declaring Bhoti and Purgi as official languages. With this process for recruitment of 1800 posts was also commenced.

However, certain politically motivated individuals were not happy with the progress made under HPC has been trying to sabotage the dialogue process.

Reacting to the development, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amit Malviya said that the step should have been taken long ago.

In a post on X, Malviya said, “Sonam Wangchuk’s NGO has finally had its FCRA license cancelled — a step that should have been taken long ago. Even back in 2007, when BJP was not in power at the Centre or in J&K, the government had flagged several violations by him and made sharp observations. The record speaks for itself.”

He shared a letter from the Office of the Deputy Commissioner Leh, stating that in the past, there have been serious allegations against Sonam Wangchuk and his NGO.

The letter shared by the BJP leader stated, “You have been demolarising Government staff, by-passing administrative offices like Zonal Education Office etc., using undignified language and remarks, showering baseless allegations against department and its functionaries. You have been illegally occupying 200 Kanals of land without paying dues to the Government. You have been misusing provisions of Foreign Contribution Act by misappropriation of funds received from Foreign Contributions.”

“You have been anti national connections in china and other places, which have been or may be exploited for anti national activities. You have been threatening Council and District Administration from time to time with adverse remarks and with threat of dire consequences there by destabilizing the harmony of the place,” the letter stated. (ANI)

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