(TibetanReview.net, Jun22’24) — India has on Jun 21 made it clear that the Dalai Lama is a revered spiritual figure in the country and stood by his freedom to conduct his religious and spiritual activities. It followed China’s severe criticism of both him and a bipartisan US congressional delegation of seven lawmakers led by Chairman Michael McCaul of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and which included former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, when the latter called on him at Dharamshala on Jun 19.
“I would like to reiterate India’s position on His Holiness Dalai Lama. He is a revered religious leader and is deeply respected by the people of India,” the timesofindia.com Jun 21 quoted India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal as saying at a press conference.
“The Government of India’s position on His Holiness the Dalai Lama is clear and consistent. … His Holiness is accorded due courtesies and freedom to conduct his religious and spiritual activities,” the indianexpress.com Jun 22 likewise quoted Jaiswal as saying.
Jaiswal’s comments, made during a weekly briefing, came in response to queries regarding India’s stance on the succession of the Dalai Lama, highlighting the spiritual leader’s significant role in India’s cultural fabric, the report noted.
The statement assumes significance given the rocky ties between India and China, and Beijing’s objection to the delegation’s visit and meeting with the Dalai Lama, noted the indianexpress.com Jun 22.
While the Dalai Lama meets foreign diplomats and visitors, this delegation is one of the most high-powered delegations from the US in recent years. Pelosi has been at the forefront of challenging Beijing, as she had visited Taiwan in Aug 2022, the report said.
The Dalai Lama, it may be noted, is a deeply revered spiritual figure to people across the Himalayan belt and China has made it clear it will install its own successor to the current Dalai Lama even though he has resolved not to be reborn in any territory under Chinese rule.
India has so far not spoken on this issue, unlike the US, the European Union and a number of other countries which have condemned China’s interference in the matter
Jaiswal has noted that the delegation had also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and interacted with External Affairs minister S Jaishankar and Commerce & Industry minister Piyush Goyal after their Dharamshala events over Jun 18-19.
The delegation’s visit came after the US Congress passed a landmark bill which questions the legitimacy of the Chinese occupation rule in Tibet. It mandates active US involvement in combating China’s disinformation campaign on the issue and helping to reach a negotiated settlement between the two sides. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill into law in the near future.