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THE SNOW LION BUDDHIST NEWS & CATALOG
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit with
other Indian dignitaries
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Has India Given Up on Tibet?
TimesNow.com (India)
November 14, 2007
After the Dalai Lama received the US Congress' highest civilian award no senior political leader or representative of the Indian government was present to congratulate the Tibetan spiritual head.
China's ambassador to India launched a fresh verbal attack on Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. The caustic nature of his comments drew a rather muted reaction from the government, leading many to ask the question: Is India giving up on Tibet? |
When asked about the relations between him and the Indian government earlier this month, the Dalai Lama had replied—"Excellent." But a close look a felicitation ceremony organised by the Gandhi Peace Foundation in New Delhi shows the truth.
After the Dalai Lama received the US Congress' highest civilian award no senior political leader or representative of the Indian government was present to congratulate the Tibetan spiritual head. Even Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who was to address the function, failed to show up at the last minute.
But Dikshit and her colleagues were merely following instructions. In a clear move to avoid offending
China a circular sent by Cabinet Secretary K. M. Chandrasekhar to all ministers and government officials
had said, "The felicitation of the Dalai Lama is not in conformity with Indian foreign policy and hence ministers and government officials should refrain from attending."
China has raised the pitch against the Dalai Lama more so after the U.S. Congress felicitated him and expects India to do the same.
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