BERHAMPUR: The Tibetan refugees who have made Chandragiri in Gajapati district their home since the past several decades are in two minds - to vote or not, in the ensuing elections.
As per sources, these Tibetans here had registered their names in the voters’ list and also received voter ID cards. This will be the first time they are eligible to cast their votes. However, the fear of losing their refugee status after voting compels them to give it a second thought.
As many as 2,700 Tibetans are currently residing in five camps at Chandragiri, Labarsing, Tikillipadar, Jirang and Mahendragarh areas. Their ancestors had settled down in Chandragiri, also called as Mini Tibet, back in 1963 after receiving support from the legendary leader Biju Patnaik.
The state government had then given each family a house besides five acre land to pursue agriculture activities. Later in 2013, the Union government announced to grant Indian citizenship to the Tibetans born in India after January 26, 1950 and before July 1, 1987.
In 2023, the state government decided to include them in the beneficiaries list to avail old age pension and ration card. And as per the directive of the then collector Lingaraj Panda, 303 elderly Tibetans were issued old age pension besides 237 families given ration cards. As such, these Tibetan refugees have their own administrative office in Phuntsokling where two persons from each camp have been nominated to represent their respective areas. Speaking to The New Indian Express, a Tibetan representative Pema Gyalop said he is waiting for the decision of their leaders at Dharamshala in Uttarakhand to decide whether to take part in voting or not.
Meanwhile, another Tibetan refugee Guruji Khempo said it was entirely up to one’s independent decision whether to avail the rights as mandated under the Indian Law. On the other hand, some refugees said they are happy for being eligible to vote and having received some identity but asserted their individuality as Tibetans must not be affected.
“Several Tibetans in India have not taken up their new right to vote and the self-proclaimed Tibetan government in-exile, which has its own elections for Tibetans in India, has taken a neutral stance on the voting topic. Hence it is up to the individual whether he wants to vote or not,” said some other refugees.
A senior official, on condition of anonymity, said the Odisha government has given Tibetan refugees here several facilities including voter ID and ration card but they cannot be forced to vote.
Notably, 5T chairman and BJD leader VK Pandian had visited these Tibetan settlements in February to review the development activities in the areas.