Amid Ladakh Protests, Sonam Wangchuk's NGO's Foreign Funding Licence Cancelled

The government on Thursday evening cancelled the FCRA registration of Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk's nonprofit - the Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh - over 'repeat' violations of the law governing foreign funding for non-governmental organisations.

The cancellation comes 24 hours after violent protests over statehood demands for Ladakh.

Only a few hours earlier sources told NDTV the federal government is planning to act against Mr Wangchuk, who has emerged as the face of Ladakh's statehood push, and who has been blamed for the violence and the deaths of four people. The Home Ministry said his 'provocative speeches' had urged a mob to attack a local BJP office and that of the Ladakh election officer.

Sources also said investigations had flagged 'serious financial irregularities' in the functioning of his nonprofit, including repeat violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.

In the case of SECMOL's alleged violations, NDTV accessed the government's notification, which said a show-cause notice had been served on September 10 with four questions.

The first was to do with Mr Wanghchuk depositing Rs 3.35 lakh into the nonprofit's FCRA account in violation of the law. SECMOL said the money was from the sale of an old bus.

Since the bus had been purchased with FCRA funds, the sale money was put back into the account, the nonprofit replied. The government, however, ruled this reasoning '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..."

There were also questions raised about a donation of Rs 4.93 lakh - from a Swedish donor - for 'youth awareness' programmes relating to climate change, migration, and food security.

The donation, however, is 'against the national interest of the country', the government ruled.

Two other similar points were flagged and, in each case, the government said sums of Rs 19,600 and Rs 79,200 were wrongfully entered into the nonprofit's FCRA accounts.

READ | Ladakh's Big Statehood Movement. What Is It, What Do Protesters Want?

Sonam Wangchuk is widely seen as the face of the Ladakhi statehood movement, and was on a hunger strike to press home the demand. And, anticipating government action against him, told news agency PTI he is ready to be arrested under the stringent Public Safety Act.

READ | Sonam Wangchuk: From Real 'Phunsukh Wangdu' To Activist Under Lens

"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."

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.