Sikkim government urges Centre to allow 17th Karmapa to visit Rumtek monastery
DHARAMSALA, Nov 26: The government of Sikkim has requested the Central government to allow His Eminence the 17th Karmapa Ugyen Thrinley Dorjee to visit Rumtek monastery, the main seat of Karma Kagyu or Black hat school of Tibetan Buddhism in India.
Sikkim Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling made the request last week during his meetings with Prime Minister Modi and Minister of Home Affairs, Rajnath Singh, citing large number of Sikkimese followers who have been fondly waiting to their spiritual leader’s audience and blessings.
Prime Minister Modi gave positive assurances of favourably considering the demand requiring quick resolution for which the Chief Minister thanked the Honorable Prime Minister, according to a Voice of Sikkim report.
Responding to the request, Union Minister Rajnath Singh agreed that there is no ‘in-principle’ impediment to allow the Buddhist leader to visit Sikkim and expressed hope that the issue is going to be resolved, VOS said in an earlier report.
Despite numerous requests, the Central government has not allowed the 30-yr-old Tibetan Buddhist leader to visit Rumtek since his arrival in India in 2000. Especially, those in the security establishment have been watchful of the 17th Karmapa and have held reservations over his visit to Rumtek.
“Intelligence agencies have been watchful of Ogyen whom they refer to as Ugyen Trinley Dorje or “UTD” in secret files and believe Beijing anointed him to serve its long term ulterior motive of changing the mindset of Buddhist population in favour of China,” DNA news agency said in a report today.
Because there are two claimants as the reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley Dorjee who resides in Dharamsala and Delhi-based Trinley Thaye Dorjee, the Centre finds itself in a dilemma as allowing anyone of them would be seen as giving legitimacy to one claimant.
Since Chamling’s party, Sikkim Democratic Party maintains that large number of Sikkimese believe Ugyen Trinley Dorje, who was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as the true Karmapa, he has demanded the Centre to specify a time frame by which the Tibetan Buddhist leader should be allowed to visit the monastery even if it disallows the visit for now.
Stating that a written request has been made to the Narendra Modi government, DNA quoted Sikkim MP, PD Rai as echoing similar sentiment.
“The cooling off period of so many years should be enough for intelligence agencies to decide and at least a date should be given now to allow him to visit Rumtek,” MP PD Rai has said.
