Change in tack? Minister to attend Dalai Lama event

[michaela]

Is India relaxing its policy on avoiding the Dalai Lama’s event? Culture minister Mahesh Sharma and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav will participate in the Dalai Lama’s “Thank you India” programme in Dharamsala this coming weekend.

The article below also mentioned that the Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale personally met Dalai Lama and the Sikyong to move the celebration outside New Delhi. Maybe this is a reward for the Dalai Lama and the CTA as they have been cooperative with the Indian directives.

No matter what is the reason for this sudden change in policy, the Tibetans should get the message that they are a thorn in the relationship between India and China. As India and China are preparing for a Modi-Xi summit, in advance of the SCO summit in Qingdao in June, India wants to clear the air for a smooth landing.

——

Change in tack? Minister to attend Dalai Lama event

NEW DELHI: After a stunning volte face on its China policy that made it seem like India was suddenly kowtowing to China, India is trying recalibrate its approach by restoring a political level of participation in a programme featuring the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala this weekend.

Culture minister Mahesh Sharma and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav will participate in the Dalai Lama’s “Thank you India” programme in Dharamsala this coming weekend. This comes after a letter by foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale was sent out by the cabinet secretary to all arms of central and state governments asking government functionaries to stay away from these celebrations.

Gokhale personally met Dalai Lama and the Sikyong (chief of the Central Tibetan Administration), Lobsang Sangay, to ask them to move the celebrations outside Delhi. Separately the government cancelled an event on India-China relations at the government-funded think tank, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA). A global conference on Tibet scheduled for April was also put off.

Government sources reaffirmed there was “no change” in India’s China policy. But India wanted to end the poor optics that marked the last year souring India-China relations, which included Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, India’s refusal to attend the OBOR summit, capped by the Doklam crisis.

“None of the core issues have changed,” said sources.

As both sides prepare for a Modi-Xi summit, in advance of the SCO summit in Qingdao in June, India wants to clear the air for a smooth landing.

However, in the process, an over-zealous government succeeded in conveying a very different impression, prompting some criticism.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/change-in-tack-minister-to-attend-dalai-event/articleshow/63495007.cms

[Rowntree]

India has made it very clear that her government stands on His Holiness the Dalai Lama is consistent. Her stand is clear that His Holiness is free to carry out any religious activities in India. The CTA moved the event originally planned to take place at the Thyagaraj Stadium, Delhi, which has a seating capacity of 5,883 people that is much bigger compared to the Tsuklakhang Monastery. However, this new location matches the India Congress' stand which they will most likely support since only religious activities will take place in the monastery. It will not be a surprise therefore if the Indian officials eventually turned up to the event.

One must be clear that although India supports His Holiness, one must not align this stand and assume that India also supports the CTA. This event was moved to the new location at the request of the Indian government who had also deferred the ‘Global conference on Tibet’ that was last held in Canada 6 year ago. This is how long since the Tibet issue was being brought up to the world stage. With no actual new date set for the event, India's stand on the Tibet issue is clear - the welfare of 1.3 billion come before the 95,000 Tibetan refugees in India.

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/020318/govt-says-stand-on-dalai-lama-consistent-after-skip-dalai-lam.html

[dsnowlion]

India has made it very clear that her government stands on His Holiness the Dalai Lama is consistent. Her stand is clear that His Holiness is free to carry out any religious activities in India. The CTA moved the event originally planned to take place at the Thyagaraj Stadium, Delhi, which has a seating capacity of 5,883 people that is much bigger compared to the Tsuklakhang Monastery. However, this new location matches the India Congress' stand which they will most likely support since only religious activities will take place in the monastery. It will not be a surprise therefore if the Indian officials eventually turned up to the event.

One must be clear that although India supports His Holiness, one must not align this stand and assume that India also supports the CTA. This event was moved to the new location at the request of the Indian government who had also deferred the ‘Global conference on Tibet’ that was last held in Canada 6 year ago. This is how long since the Tibet issue was being brought up to the world stage. With no actual new date set for the event, India's stand on the Tibet issue is clear - the welfare of 1.3 billion come before the 95,000 Tibetan refugees in India.

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/020318/govt-says-stand-on-dalai-lama-consistent-after-skip-dalai-lam.html

India is very kind and respectful towards the Dalai Lama. I am not so sure about the CTA though. However, this looks like the Indian Gov is trying to give face to the Tibetans and wish to maintain peace so that things do not get out of hand, because at the moment there has been like a mini social media war going on with many Indian calling for Tibetans to return back to Tibet. Since the Dalai Lama mentioned "We are not seeking independence... We want to stay with China. We want more development." https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/tibet-wants-to-stay-with-china-says-dalai-lama/articleshow/61775261.cms

So when Dalai Lama say something like this, what/how do you expect Indian to react? Of course they will feel offended and when you have silly Tibetans spewing more hate rhetoric remarks, things can definitely get ugly, which no one wants.

[michaela]

India has a long track record of respecting holy men, and it is one of the most spiritual countries in the world. I am not surprised at all that they ask the minister of culture and BJP secretary to attend the Dalai Lama's event. Certainly, because they retain some degree of respect for the Dalai Lama.

But whether they maintain the same degree of respect for the CTA and the Tibetans in general - I doubt it. Nothing that they did command respect - It is the Dalai Lama who is protecting the Tibetan refugees and because of him, the Tibetan refugees still maintain the privilege of living on Indian soil.

[vajrastorm]

It would appear that the Indian government is giving some face to the CTA by announcing that the Culture minister Mahesh Sharma and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav will participate in the Dalai Lama’s “Thank you India” programme in Dharamsala this coming weekend.

This however doesn't alter the fact that India will not allow any Tibetan activity to upset the warming up of its ties with China . India has the right to prioritise its relationship with China for the sake of its nation's economic future.

India is at least showing respect to HH the Dalai Lama by saying the Culture Minister and the BJP general secretary will participate in the New Delhi event which will be graced by the Dalai Lama.

[dsnowlion]

It would appear that the Indian government is giving some face to the CTA by announcing that the Culture minister Mahesh Sharma and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav will participate in the Dalai Lama’s “Thank you India” programme in Dharamsala this coming weekend.

This however doesn't alter the fact that India will not allow any Tibetan activity to upset the warming up of its ties with China . India has the right to prioritise its relationship with China for the sake of its nation's economic future.

India is at least showing respect to HH the Dalai Lama by saying the Culture Minister and the BJP general secretary will participate in the New Delhi event which will be graced by the Dalai Lama.

Of course, it is to give them face. More like to give Dalai Lama face, I don't think they would give Mr Sangay any face if Dalai Lama was not around. This again shows us that CTA is doomed because if Dalai Lama is no longer around, who is going to care and who will give them the time. So in my opinion, the CTA's lifeline is heavily dependent on the Dalai Lama. Once the Dalai Lama is gone, sorry to say this. Bye Bye CTA!