GUWAHATI: As India and China bicker over the Dalai Lama’s scheduled visit to Tawang, which Beijing claims as its own, the Tibetan spiritual leader reached Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh, albeit with a last minute change of schedule, on Tuesday evening.
He was scheduled to visit Tawang, located just 25 km from the McMahon Line that marks the India-China boundary, in a chopper from Guwahati on Tuesday morning, but the visit to the border town was postponed due to inclement weather. Later, a convoy of vehicles brought him and his entourage to Bomdila, located some 320 km from Guwahati.
On his arrival there, the spiritual leader was greeted by ministers, local MLAs, chief secretary and director general of police. Thousands of people had lined up when his cavalcade made its way to the town.
“We’re all feeling proud that His Holiness has reached our State,” chief minister Pema Khandu told reporters. Last year, he had personally gone to Dharamsala to extend the invitation.
Meanwhile, reacting to China’s threat about serious damage to bilateral ties, Union Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal, asked Beijing not to interfere in India's internal affairs. He said New Delhi respected the “One-China” policy and expected Beijing to reciprocate. He also clarified that the Dalai Lama’s visit was religious and not political.
Asked about the Chinese protests, the Dalai Lama had told the media in Guwahati, “It’s normal”.
Tawang MLA Tsering Tashi told The New Indian Express that the Nobel peace prize winner would reach Tawang on April 7.
“His Holiness will grace a programme in Bomdila tomorrow (Wednesday). On Thursday, he will leave for Dirang to attend another programme. The next day, he will leave for Tawang in a chopper,” Tashi said.
As per the schedule, the Dalai Lama will spend three days in Tawang where he will attend a series of programmes. This will be his seventh visit to the town, with the last being in 2009.
“We are eagerly waiting for His Holiness. We are expecting a turnout of 60,000 people. Some 2,000 delegates from Bhutan have already arrived in town,” Tsering Tashi said.