Former Himachal CM urges PM Modi to confer Bharat Ratna to Dalai Lama

DHARAMSALA, 12 Nov: Reiterating his demand urging  New Delhi to confer Bharat Ratna to the Tibetan Spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Shanta Kumar has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that “India will be honouring itself” if it honours the Dalai Lama.

“By honouring the Dalai Lama with the highest civilian award, India will be honouring itself,” Kumar said in the missive addressed to the Prime Minister,  the PTI reported.

The veteran BJP leader has also urged Modi to raise the Tibet issue in the United Nations in the letter.

According to the report, Kumar has said that the then Nehru’s administration “committed a sin” when it allowed China to take over Tibet in 1950.

However, with China facing the wrath of the world and isolated today, Kumar sees it as a golden opportunity to make amends for the sins he said Congress committed over Tibet.  

“With India taking these two steps of honouring the Dalai Lama and raising the Tibet issue in the UN, China will be completely exposed in the world,” the BJP leader said. 

The former Himachal Chief Minister first urged the New Delhi to confer the Dalai Lama with India’s highest civil award at his book launch held at the main temple in Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala on 1 Nov. 2016 which was also attended by Dalai Lama, later he renewed the call on multiple occasions. 

Bihar Chief Minister Nitesh Kumar, Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, the Tibet Support Group of Arunachal Pradesh, (TSGAP) Indian Parliamentary Forum of Tibet and the Rashtriya Syawamsevak Sangh (RSS) have all urged new Delhi to honour the Dalai Lama with Bharat Ratna.

Till date, the highest civilian award of India has been conferred to only two non-Indians, Baloch leader Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan and Nelson Mandela.