CHANDIGARH: "Our government-in-exile in an exclusive product of the ‘Make in India’ campaign”, which is supported by all Tibetans" said Lobsang Sangay, the president of the Central Tibetan Administration and the Tibetan government-in-exile, while speaking at the 'Thank You India’ event organised by the Central Tibetan Administration to mark 60 years since His Holiness Dalai Lama’s arrival in India.
“ Since the formation of our government-in-exile, China has destroyed the Tibetan culture and carried out a number of killings. The situation in Tibet is very grim. It is more difficult for the media to go to Tibet than to North Korea,’’ he alleged.
He said, “India was and has remained the greatest supporter of Tibet. And I hope that India retain its unparalleled support for Tibet until our aspirations are realised.”
“The Dalai Lama says he is the son of India and, therefore, we are all its grandchildren,” Sangay said and added that no other country has done what India did for the Tibetan people in the past 60 years.
Dalai Lama, while looking at the photos of his escape from Tibet, said that he is overcome with mixed emotions of sadness and happiness.
"Under difficult circumstance, I have fled Tibet. It’s been a time of mixed feelings of both sadness and happiness. At the time, we had no idea what would happen in next 40 to 50 years. But today, we are commemorating 60 years in exile so now we could see to certain extent what would happen in the near future.’’
“ India and Tibet share a bond of teacher and disciple. We the Tibetans call India the land of Noble ones. No other country is referred by such name by the Tibetans. So India is looked upon as land of reverence, respect and admiration so there is a very strong bond between Tibet and India,’’ he said.
BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav who attended this event said India appreciates the desire of the Tibetans-in-exile to return to their motherland, and that they should not consider themselves refugees in their second home.
“ India has always welcomed people in problem with open arms. Many people came to India as refugees, and found love and shelter here. The life of a refugee is very tough and full of struggles, but the Tibetans should not consider themselves refugees as they are living in their second home,” he said.
Madhav said, "Buddhism went from eastern India to Tibet 1,300 years ago. We are bound by spirit, religion, culture and knowledge. So, we are brothers, and brothers do not thank each other.’’
“From Jawaharlal Nehru to Prime Minister Modi, politically, we have followed the one-China policy. Nevertheless, the relationship between India and Tibet is less political but more of spiritual,
cultural and friendship,” he said.
He also called for the resolution of the Tibet issue through a peaceful, democratic means based on dialogue to facilitate the honourable return of the Tibetan people to Tibet.
Also Union Minister of State for Culture Mahesh Sharma, BJP MP Shanta Kumar, MP of Congress Satyavarath Chaturvedi, Kishen Kapoor minister of Himachal Pradesh Government, R K Khrimey, Convenor of Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch and Tsering Dolma, wife of Pema Khandu, chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh attended the event at McLeodganj near Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh.
Over 4000 people attended the event. It also saw the screening of ‘Thank you India’ song, screening of ‘Chela’s Gift to its Guru’, release of a book on Kushok Bakula Rinpoche and cultural performances by artistes from the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts.