GUWAHATI: The Dalai Lama on Wednesday broke his silence over China’s protests against his visit to Arunachal saying that he had no problem if someone considered him a demon.
He told reporters in Bomdila, “Tibet may be a part of China geographically but politically it has always been a sovereign nation. Some consider me a demon. Do I really look like a demon?”
China is repeatedly warning India that his visit to the frontier State would damage bilateral ties. India downplayed the Chinese concerns asserting that the visit was utterly religious and not political.
“Neither the Tibetan government (in exile) nor I want Tibet’s independence. Sovereignty is important but to me spiritual unity is more important. Materialistically, China is far ahead of us (Tibet) but spiritually we are far ahead of them. China should, on honourable conditions, give autonomy to Tibet,” he asserted.
The Tibetan spiritual leader refuted allegation that India was using him as a weapon diplomatically. He said India and Tibet had been sharing robust cultural and religious ties for ages.
“The way India has been helping me and my followers for 58 years by giving us shelter, we can never forget that,” he asserted.
As per the schedule, he will attend a programme in Dirang on Thursday and leave for Tawang, located just 25 km away from the McMahon Line that marks the India-China border, in a chopper the next day.
Tawang MLA Tsering Tashi told the New Indian Express that the Dalai Lama would 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 the town,” Tashi added.