(TibetanReview.net, Jul20, 2014) – A delegation of exile Tibetan MPs have met with a series of prominent and sympathetic members of Indian parliament to seek their support for a five-point petition they presented to them. The petition asked India to help bring about a resumption of dialogue between China and representatives of Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, said the exile Tibetan administration at Dharamshala, India, in a follow-up statement on the lobbying effort on its Tibet.net website Jul 18.
The statement said the week-long felicitation and lobbying effort following the recent Indian general election, begun apparently on Jul 13, also suggested representatives of the exile administration as a possible partner in the resumption of dialogue with the aim for a speedy resolution of the Tibet issue.
The statement said the current delegation – made up of delegation leader Mrs Dolma Tsering, Ven. Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok, Ven. Monlam Tharchin, Mr Choekyong Wangchuk and Mr Lobsang Yeshi – was a preliminary group, suggesting that there will be more such delegations of exile Tibetan MPs later on.
A previous Tibet.net statement Jul 16 said the delegation had met with a number of MPs and urged them to re-establish the All-Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet in the newly constituted Indian parliament. The meetings included those with Dr Prasanna Kumar Patasani of the Biju Janata Dal Party, a veteran of many Tibet related conferences; Mr Ajit Singh, leader of the Rashtriya Lok Dal; Mr Jayant Chaudhary; Mr PD Rai of the Sikkim Democratic Front; Dr Shashi Tharoor of the Indian National Congress (INC), and Mr Sharad Yadav, leader of the Janata Dal United.
Tibet.net Jul 18 said there were more meetings of Indian MPs on Jul 16. They included those with Kiren Rijiju, Mr Kirti Azad, Thupstan Chhewang and Mr Ajay Nishad of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP); Konakalla Narayana Rao of Telugu Desam Party; former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and D Kupendra Reddy of Janata Dal (Secular); and Digvijay Singh of INC. Further meetings, which took place on Jul 17, included those with former Speaker Mr PA Sangma of the National People’s Party, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari of the BJP, Satyavad Chaturvedi of the INC and Ramdas Athawale of the Republic Party of India.