Indo-Tibet border bike rally to expose China flagged off
DHARAMSALA, Nov 18: Fifty bikers took off from the McLeod Ganj, the exile headquarters of the Tibetan people for the Indo-Tibet border bike rally to expose China.
BJP MP from Kangra, Kishan Kapoor along with the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile’s Speaker Pema Jungney and Deputy Speaker Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok flagged off the bike rally from Mcleod Ganj to Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh bordering Tibet.
“Fifty bikers signifies the 50 years of existence of Tibetan Youth Congress(TYC) and its resistance and resilience.” TYC President Gonpo Dhondup said.
The BJP MP in his address called out China for its occupation of Tibet, spreading the COVID -19 to the world and that the rally will send a strong message to Beijing.
In a direct message to China with regards to the ongoing border tension between India and China, Kapoor said that with PM Narendra Modi leading India now, China is mistaken to take India lightly now as it did in 1962 under Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
“Tibet would have been an independent country today if it wasn’t for the blunder in 1962 or if it was PM Modi at the helm at that time,” he added.
The Indo-Tibet border bike rally was organised by the TYC to expose “China for all the lies, fabrications and atrocities committed not just to the Tibetans but to the world at large.”
TYC, the activist group maintained that the campaign was organized as the COVID-19 restrictions are being eased in India to highlight the worsening human rights situations inside Tibet at large and Driru, Kham in particular under the Chinese rule.
The largest Tibetan NGO in exile further put forward three demands; to make China accountable by boycotting products made in China, declaring Tibet’s independence as the only viable solution to counter and control China’s illegal intrusion on Indian soil and the unconditional release of all imprisoned Tibetan political prisoners from Driru County, Kham.
The bikers, who have joined TYC’s rally from 7 different regions; Dharamsala, Kullu Manali, Dekyiling, Paonta, Bir, Delhi and Rohtang will cover the 430 Km distance from McLeod Ganj to Kinnaur in five days with stopovers at cites on the route where the organisers have planned several events.
“The situation in Tibet is getting worse. Being a youth, I always wanted to shoulder responsibility and take up to activism but couldn’t do it somehow. Hence I took part in the rally,” said Tashi Sangpo, a young rider from Bir.
