Top Indian Leader Visits Dharamsala to Express Solidarity With Tibetans
DHARAMSHALA: Mr Yashwant Sinha, Member of Indian Parliament and former union minister for finance and external affairs, visited the Tibetan community in Dharamsala to express solidarity with Tibetans in view of the prevailing critical situation in Tibet.
Addressing senior officials of the Central Tibetan Administration on Saturday, Mr Sinha said he has come to Dharamsala to share the pain and the hope that Tibetans have.
“I am here to give whatever little strength to that hope and your cause,” said Mr Sinha, who is the convener of the All Party Indian Parliamentarian Forum on Tibet.
“The manner in which the Tibetan people in and outside Tibet have continued their struggle for so many decades is a tribute to that indomitable spirit of courage, faith and determination, which cannot be put out by any power on earth. There is no power on earth to put out that flame which is burning in all your hearts,” he said.
“It is the responsibility of the friends like me of the Tibetan cause to co-operate with you, to join, and to share the struggle that you have waged. I have come here on behalf of my Party and All-Party Indian Parliamentarian Forum on Tibet, to tell you that the government of India’s policy may be different, dictated by geopolitical considerations, but the parliamentarians and people of India are being guided by only one feeling, the feeling of brotherhood for the people of Tibet,” he said.
“We have perhaps failed in the sense that the kind of support which should have demonstrably come has often been wanting. There is a need for all of us to strongly project in India and the people in rest of the world what exactly is happening to the people in Tibet,” Mr Sinha said.
“The Tibetans are dealing with the Chinese government, a regime which lacks humanism and believes only in authoritarianism and repression. We need to marshal international public opinion as much as we can, which is being very ably done by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Kalon Tripa, in future with greater determination,” he said.
“We are solidly with you, and the cause of Tibet and the Tibetan people. We are willing and ready to co-operate with you in all your endeavours,” he added.
Expressing his deep appreciation for the unwavering support of Mr Yashwant Sinha to the non-violent Tibetan struggle, Kalon Tripa said his support is very crucial as Tibet is passing through an extremely difficult time. He said Tibet’s Buddhist civilisation and democracy are products of India, adding that the Tibetan struggle is part of Indian struggle and its success will also be because of India.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Mr Sinha said he had detailed discussions on the current situation in Tibet with senior officials of the Central Tibetan Administration, members of Tibetan NGOs and Tibet support groups in Dharamsala. He said based on these discussions, the All Party Indian Parliamentarian Forum on Tibet would soon formulate a new strategy to deal the critical situation in Tibet.
During his three-day visit from 15-17 September, Mr Yashwant Sinha met senior officials of the Central Tibetan Administration, including members of the Kashag and the Parliament. He also met members of the Tibetan NGOs.