(TibetanReview.net, Dec24, 2017) – A three-member delegation of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile concluded on Dec 22 a week-long lobbying meetings with Indian MPs during the latter’s ongoing winter session of Parliament. The delegation, led by Deputy Speaker Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok, met with more than 40 Indian MPs, including party leaders, representing 11 political parties from 19 states.
This brings to more than 210 the number of MPs in the current Indian parliament delegations of Tibetan Parliament in Exile have met with since 2014.
The MPs were stated to have not only expressed strong support for the Tibet issue and solidarity with the Tibetan people but also offered valuable suggestions on ways to bolster the Tibetan movement in India, including with their own active participation and with the involvement of the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader.
The Indian MPs were also stated to have agreed to participate in the upcoming, 7th World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet.
Seven Indian MPs were stated to have taken part in a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentarian Forum for Tibet (APIPFT) held in the Constitutional Club on Dec 21 evening. They included Mr P D Rai, Dr Arun Kumar, Mr Ninong Ering, Mr Ravi Prakash Verma, and Mr Thangso Baite.
Many MPs who had confirmed their participation could not make it due to a sudden extension of the Parliament session over a voting motion on a vital Bill, said the Tibetan Parliament in Exile in a press statement Dec 21.
Some of the MPs the Tibetan delegation met with over the past five days were named as: former Defense Minister Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mr Moti Lal Vora, Mr D Raja, Mr Subhash Chandra, Mr K T S Tulsi, Mr Rajiv Shukla, Mr Thupten Tsewang, Mr Vivek Tankha, Rev. Prasanna Kumar Patasani, Mr Shadi Lal Batra, Mr Pradeep Tamte, Col Chaudary Sona Ram, Mr Gopal Narayan Singh, Mr Dinesh Kashyap, Mr K Bhabananda Singh, Dr Boora Narsaih Goud, Mr Vinod Kumar Bolanapalli, Mr Daddan Mishra, Mr Santuise Kujur, Mr BN Chandrappa, Mr Sunil Baliram Gaikwad, Mr Thangsoe Baite, Mr CL Raula, Mr Ananda Bhaskar Rapolu, Mr Virendra Singh, Mr Harivansh, Mr Rangasayee Ramakrishna, Mr Vikas Mahatme, Mr Janak Ram, Mr Bhushan Lal Jangde, Mr Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, Mr Devender T Goud, Mr Vinay Dinu Tendulkar and Mr Narasimha Thota.
Delegations of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile have been undertaking the lobbying meetings during the winter and monsoon sessions of the Indian parliament since 2011.
The other members of the current delegation have been Lopon Thupten Gyaltsen and Mr Lobsang Yeshi.
