Sikyong Sangay says India did the right thing as Beijing objects His Holiness’ meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee
By Lobsang Tenchoe
DHARAMSALA, Dec 19: The political head of the Tibetan people, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay has dished it out at China for objecting to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s meeting with the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and lauded India for doing the right thing.
“His Holiness the Dalai Lama attending Nobel laureate event at Rashtrapati Bhavan and him meeting the President is India’s business and I think the Indian government did the right thing. He is India’s honorable guest and the Chinese should not comment on or criticize what he or India does,” PTI quoted Sikyong Sangay as saying at an event in New Delhi where the ‘Central Tibetan Administration’ (CTA) launched a report titled ‘Tibet is Not a Part of China but Middle Way Remains a Viable Solution’.
Sikyong Sangay further remarked that Xi Jinping’s hardline Tibet policies have failed and urged China to view His Holiness the Dalai Lama as solution and not the problem.
“Xi Jinping-led Chinese administration needs to treat the Dalai Lama as the solution and not as an obstacle. I hope in Xi Jinping’s second term (as President) he will relook and review the Tibet policy and realize that the hardline policies have failed,” Sikyong Sangay said.
China has resolutely objected to the meeting between the two octogenarian leaders at a conference on children’s rights at the Indian President’s official residence, Rashtrapati Bhavan on Dec 10.
“China wanted India to recognize the anti-China, separatist essence of the Dalai Lama clique and take steps to banish the negative impact of this incident” to avoid disrupting ties between the Asian giants,” The Indian Express quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang as saying at a daily news briefing in Beijing.
However, the Indian Government dismissed China’s warning and issued a riposte calling His Holiness the Dalai Lama a revered guest of India and the event a non-political one in nature.
“India has a consistent position. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama is a respected and revered spiritual leader. It was a non-political event organised by Nobel laureates dedicated to the welfare of children,” India’s External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
