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Dalai Lama skirts India-China issue
Playing safe amid the face-off between India and China over his participation in the Global Buddhist Congregation here, exiled Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Wednesday refrained from making any “political” statement and his organisers cancelled his scheduled interaction with the media, just minutes before he was to hold the Press conference.
Skirting a pointed question from The Pioneer over Beijing’s objection to India providing a ground to Dalai Lama for this conference and the consequent postponement of the Special Representative dialogue between the two countries, he simply said: “It is a political question. No comments on political question.”
The spiritual leader was slated to address the media after he delivered the valedictory address at the Congregation. But, perhaps, in a bid to ensure there was no further controversy which would have invited Beijing’s ire or caused discomfort to his host New Delhi, the organisers abruptly called off the media interaction session.
Special Representative of Dalai Lama, Tempa Tsering told The Pioneer, “There was no Press conference announced by his Holiness. There was confusion because the organisers announced it to the Press that he will interact. But due to his busy schedule there was no interaction scheduled.”
Beijing has been accusing the exiled spiritual leader as “a separatist political leader”, even though he has denounced his political powers and now assumes a spiritual role.
On Monday in a direct reference to India, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, “We oppose any country that provides a platform for his anti-China activities in any form.”
The Dalai Lama’s scheduled address has been mired by controversy since the start of the four-day meet when China pulled out of border talks with India after New Delhi refused a request to cancel the exiled leader’s public address.
In his valedictory address at the four-day conference, the Dalai Lama restricted his comments to the importance of Buddhist values of compassion, honesty, truth and inner peace in a world which is beset with problems.
