Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday responded to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) by his organisation, stating that it did not seek foreign funding because it had no intention of "begging from foreign countries." Wangchuk's comments followed the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) probe into his organisation over the alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). While speaking to ANI, Wangchuk clarified the nature of the funds, emphasising that they were "not foreign donations" but fees for services rendered.
"A day later (after Leh protests), the Home Ministry of India issued a press release naming Sonam Wangchuk in it and blaming him... I had received a notice about a CBI inquiry stating that your organisation received foreign funding even when it did not have an FCRA. We did not get FCRA because we don't want funds from abroad," Wangchuk said. He further explained that the organisation had received fees from foreign entities "in exchange for sharing knowledge" about their innovative projects.
"The United Nations team wanted to take our Passive Solar Heated Building to Afghanistan, and for this, they gave us a fee. We also got fees with tax from Swiss and Italian organisations for supplying knowledge to them about our artificial glaciers," he added. Wangchuk also confirmed that his organisation was under scrutiny from the Income Tax department, with a summons issued in relation to the foreign transactions.
He expressed frustration over what he termed a "witch hunt," saying that the recent developments were the latest chapter in a series of attacks targeting him personally. "We are getting I-T summons. In the series of witch hunting, yesterday's events were the last and all blame was put on Sonam Wangchuk," he stated.