CHANDIGARH: An eight-member US Congress delegation met the Dalai Lama at his residence in Dharamsala on Tuesday and reaffirmed their commitment to the cause of Tibetan people.
In her tweet, Nancy Pelosi, leader of Democratic Party leading this delegation which reached Dharamshala on a two-day visit to meet the Tibetan spiritual leader, wrote, “Our delegation visits @DalaiLama in his spirit of faith & peace coming to be inspired & demonstrate our commitment to the Tibetan people.’’
The US delegation also met Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) PrimeMinister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay. He said, “The CTA is honoured to welcome the second visit by a high-level bipartisan delegation of the US Congress led by leader Nancy Pelosi to Dharamsala after nine years.’’
The CTA will be organising a public felicitation in honour of the US delegation and the Dalai Lama will grace the public felicitation on May 10 at the Tsuglakhang temple in Dharamsala, located close to the spiritual leader’s palace.
They will also meet Tibetan women leaders and will visit Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts. Last time, Pelosi had come to meet Dalai Lama in 2008 when she was Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
Interestingly, her last visit coincided with anti-China protests that had spread to other parts from Lhasa in Tibet and China had used force to suppress the rioters.
Out of the eight members of the delegation, four members — Pelosi, McGovern, McCollum and Beatty — were part of the Congressional delegation that visited Tibet in the month of November 2015.