Key points
- Home Ministry cancelled SECMOL’s FCRA licence citing repeated violations after violent Ladakh statehood protests left four dead in Leh.
- Notice cited a ₹3.35 lakh cash deposit tied to sale of an FCRA-funded bus, entries of ₹19,600 and ₹79,200, and a ₹4.93 lakh Swedish grant flagged as against “national interest”.
- CBI inquiry into HIAL’s foreign funding began weeks earlier; officials are also reviewing Wangchuk’s February Pakistan visit, with no FIR filed yet.
- Government accused Wangchuk of “provocative” speeches inciting attacks on BJP and election offices; he denies wrongdoing and says jailing him will “cause more problems”.
- Reports indicate HIAL’s FCRA status also under action, with at least one outlet saying its licence was cancelled, even as probes continue.
New Delhi: The government has cancelled the FCRA licence of SECMOL, an NGO founded by Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk, citing repeated violations of foreign funding rules amid violent statehood protests in Leh that left four dead, with a CBI probe also examining alleged irregularities linked to HIAL and a Swedish grant flagged as against “national interest”. Officials said a show-cause notice was issued on September 10 and that cash deposits, off-ledger credits, and improper entries under FCRA sections were among the grounds for cancellation, while Wangchuk alleged a bid to jail him under the Public Safety Act and denied incitement.
What happened
The Union Home Ministry revoked the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) licence of the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) on Thursday, citing repeated violations of the law governing foreign funding to NGOs. The cancellation followed deadly violence in Leh a day earlier amid statehood agitations, with four fatalities reported as protests escalated into arson and clashes near political offices and the Hill Council. Officials said SECMOL had been served a show-cause notice on September 10, as part of a broader scrutiny that also saw the CBI examine alleged FCRA violations connected to HIAL (Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh).
The alleged FCRA breaches
According to the government’s notice accessed by media, SECMOL was asked to explain a ₹3.35 lakh amount reportedly deposited in its FCRA account claimed by the NGO as proceeds from selling a bus originally purchased with foreign funds which authorities said appeared to be cash and not properly reflected under section 17 compliance. Two additional entries of ₹19,600 and ₹79,200 were red-flagged as “wrongfully entered” in FCRA accounts, with SECMOL calling one a mistake, which the Ministry deemed untenable under sections 17 and 18. A Swedish contribution of about ₹4.93 lakh for youth awareness on climate, migration, food security and sovereignty was also flagged, with authorities asserting study on “sovereignty” using foreign funds was against the “national interest”.
Protests and government’s stance
The cancellation came amid the worst violence in Ladakh since 1989, as mobs targeted BJP premises and vehicles and police used tear gas to disperse crowds, with curfew and a shutdown imposed in parts of Leh, according to multiple reports. The Home Ministry accused Wangchuk of “provocative” statements referencing the Arab Spring and “Gen Z protests” in Nepal, alleging he misled crowds during a period when a High-Powered Committee dialogue was also underway. BJP leaders amplified the charge of foreign-backed destabilisation, while the Opposition countered that the Centre’s decisions had led to unrest, reflecting a sharp political divide over the protests.
CBI inquiry and HIAL
Officials told media the CBI initiated an inquiry into HIAL weeks prior, reviewing funding flows and assessing compliance, including aspects of Wangchuk’s February 6 visit to Pakistan, even as no FIR had been registered at the time of reporting. The Ladakh administration’s cancellation of HIAL’s land allotment in August had already raised tensions, with statehood groups calling it an attack on regional rights and autonomy, which intensified the stand-off leading into September. One outlet reported that the FCRA licence of HIAL had also been cancelled, though other coverage emphasised an ongoing probe rather than finality, indicating a fluid situation.
Wangchuk’s response
Wangchuk said authorities were “fabricating a case” to arrest him under the Public Safety Act for up to two years and insisted he was prepared, adding that jailing him would create “more problems” for the government than releasing him. He rejected the allegation that he incited violence, maintained that his activism remained peaceful, and argued the unrest reflected the frustration of Ladakhi youth over employment and constitutional safeguards. He also told PTI that HIAL raises revenue by exporting “knowledge” and does not seek to depend on foreign funds, disputing the interpretation that certain receipts constituted foreign contribution under FCRA.
What the cancellation means
With SECMOL’s FCRA licence cancelled, the organisation cannot receive or utilise foreign contributions, impacting programs that previously used overseas grants, pending any legal remedies it may pursue. The order underscores the Home Ministry’s stricter reading of FCRA sections on cash handling, account segregation, and purpose compliance, particularly where programmatic language touches sensitive domains like sovereignty. Given the ongoing CBI examination of HIAL and the volatile law-and-order situation in Leh, further administrative or legal actions remain possible as inquiries proceed.
