Day after Ladakh violence, Centre cancels FCRA licence of activist Sonam Wangchuk’s NGO

The Union home ministry on Thursday cancelled the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act license of activist Sonam Wangchuk’s non-governmental organisation, The Indian Express reported.

This came a day after four persons were killed and more than 80 injured in police firing in Leh during a protest demanding statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

The Union government had claimed on Wednesday that the violence was incited by Wangchuk’s “provocative statements”.

Registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act is mandatory for a non-profit organisation to receive foreign funds.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had, two months ago, initiated a preliminary inquiry into alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act by Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh, a non-governmental organisation run by Wangchuk.

A government order signed by the home ministry’s Deputy Secretary Rajesh Kumar T said the decision to cancel the licence was taken “considering the facts and position narrated by the organisation”, The Indian Express reported.

The non-governmental organisation had been served a show cause notice on August 20 and a letter on September 10, asking why its registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act should not be cancelled, the newspaper quoted the order as saying.

Several violations were found after the organisation’s response to the letter on September 20 was examined, the government alleged.

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