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India tells its ministers to boycott Dalai
function
WSN Network
For the
Sikhs, Dalai Lama's concerns should make important news as the
Indian government's machinations are currently in full flow to
change the demography of Punjab. Some Sikh organisations have been
lately raising their voice on the issue.
New Delhi: When India acts, it does so
without shame. Former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral was to
preside over a function to felicitate Dalai Lama while Delhi Chief
Minister Sheila Dikshit was also to be present. Gujral marked his
presence, Dikshit did not show up.
Reason? India's top bureaucrat, the Cabinet Secretary, sent a
written order asking everyone to "avoid" the function. New Delhi
wants to befriend Beijing; the Tibetian cause be damned.
Dalai Lama was presented the US Congressional Gold Medal and that
was the reason to felicitate him. The Gandhi Peace Foundation, the
All-Party Parliamentary Forum for Tibet, the Core Group for the
Tibetan Cause and representatives of major religions had organised
Saturday’s function.
The office of Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar issued what it
called "an advisory" to the ministers but stated no reasons for it.
Everyone seems to have gulped such an order. So much for the world's
biggest democracy.
New Delhi did not want to annoy Beijing which protests every time
the Dalai Lama is accorded a warm reception anywhere in the world.
Beijing had made known its displeasure over the Dalai Lama’s recent
visit to the United States, where he had received the US
Congressional Gold Medal, America’s highest civilian award, at a
function attended by President George W. Bush.
Bashishtha Narain Singh, MP, who is convenor of the All-Party
Parliamentary Forum for Tibet, Delhi mayor Arti Mehra, scholar
Kapila Vatsayan, certain diplomats, the Dalai Lama’s followers,
fellow Tibetans and supporters of the Tibetan cause were in
attendance.
Earlier, in his address, the Dalai Lama accused China of what he
called "demographic aggression", saying that his people had been
reduced to a minority in his homeland under Beijing’s rule. "Every
Tibetan mind lives with fear and a feeling of terror," the exiled
leader said. "The population of (Tibet’s capital) Lhasa used to be
50,000 to 60,000. Now it is 300,000, of which 200,000 are Chinese,"
he said.
For the Sikhs, Dalai Lama's concerns should make important news as
the Indian government's machinations are currently in full flow to
change the demography of Punjab. Some Sikh organisations have been
lately raising their voice on the issue.
The Dalai Lama said that Tibetans were being denied an opportunity
to learn their language and monasteries were being politicised under
what he called "cultural genocide." Just as in India, the Punjabi
language was being marginalised increasingly and the children of the
Sikhs are being weaned away from the Sikh culture and even their own
religion.
"It’s quite silly to criticise the Dalai Lama," he chuckled,
referring to Tibetans sometimes being arrested if they did not agree
to denounce him at monasteries. The 72-year-old leader said that a
railway line launched last year, linking Tibet to the rest of China,
was being used for "exploitation of natural resources." The Tibetan
leader added that he was semi-retired, and was looking forward to
retirement from his political role. "I am looking for complete
retirement and (to) spending time on preparation of my next
reincarnation," the Dalai Lama said. "I want to make clear: the
Dalai Lama may die, (but) the Tibetan community will remain," he
said to prolonged applause. The Dalai Lama said that he wanted his
authority to be handed over to the Tibetan government-in-exile,
based at Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh.
7 November, 2007
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