Why is India quiet about the Dalai Lama?

[PrajNa]

In this article below published in "The Print", it says clearly that during the Wuhan meeting, China has asked Modi and his government to not mention the Dalai Lama and Tibetans anymore, and Modi agreed. During the latest Tibetan 60th Uprising Celebration/protests in Delhi, the Indian government was silent.

"At the same time, Modi has maintained a stunned silence on the 60th anniversary of the arrival of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in India.

The 30 March anniversary passed with absolutely no mention from anyone in the Delhi establishment. Not from the prime minister or the external affairs minister or home or defence ministers. It’s as if the arrival of the Dalai Lama from Chinese-ruled Tibet in 1959 never happened."


Why Modi doesn’t mention the Dalai Lama anymore, while he rages against ‘enemy Pakistan’
China’s expanding presence inside India as well as on the borders has coincided with PM Modi giving way to what Beijing has wanted.

JYOTI MALHOTRA Updated: 2 April, 2019 4:46 pm IST


File photo of Narendra Modi with the Dalai Lama | tibet.net

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has demonstrated two opposite sides of his personality. As he wades into his campaign for the 2019 general elections, Modi has repeatedly made charges against “enemy Pakistan”, which serves the BJP well to conflate its belief that Muslims at home as well as those on the other side of the western border cannot be trusted. (The BJP has fielded only one Muslim candidate — Mahfuza Khatun from Jangipur in West Bengal — in the coming Lok Sabha elections.)

At the same time, Modi has maintained a stunned silence on the 60th anniversary of the arrival of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in India.

The 30 March anniversary passed with absolutely no mention from anyone in the Delhi establishment. Not from the prime minister or the external affairs minister or home or defence ministers. It’s as if the arrival of the Dalai Lama from Chinese-ruled Tibet in 1959 never happened.

This confirms a huge shift in Modi’s foreign policy thinking on China, which began in April last year when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan. It is now becoming increasingly clear, say highly placed sources speaking on the condition of anonymity, that at Wuhan, India and China decided they would not air their differences in public.

The case of the Dalai Lama fell into this category.

The Chinese wanted Delhi not to make any public mention of the Tibetan leadership living in India. Modi is said to have agreed.

The Dalai Lama could still be treated as an honoured guest by the Indian government, but that would be all. He could travel inside and outside the country – as the living incarnation of the Avalokite?vara; even Modi could not prevent that.

So, when the 60th anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s arrival in India’s Arunachal Pradesh (then called North-East Frontier Agency, or NEFA) came around on March 30, the sound and fury of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections had taken over.

Modi was busy castigating the Congress party for allegedly asking questions on the Balakot air strikes and trying to make them out as “anti-national”; he was obsessing over the evil designs of Pakistan itself and implicitly warning that if it were not for him, India would be over-run both by Muslims and Pakistanis.

On the one hand, Modi was ensuring that the two-nation theory was getting a new life of its own; on the other, he was agreeing with China that the Tibetan leaders in India would be roundly ignored — that they would not matter anymore.

So the Dalai Lama has, indeed, arrived in Delhi on Tuesday, April 2, to attend a conference on ethical and emotional learning, but the venue cannot be farther than South Block in the heart of the capital, where the Prime Minister’s Office is located, or in Lok Kalyan Marg, where Modi lives.

It’s as if Modi wants the Dalai Lama to get in and get out of Delhi as soon as possible. He wants to have nothing to do with him.

Even on Wuhan’s eve, Delhi had sent out word that the Tibetan community could not hold any events or festivities “thanking India” for letting the Dalai Lama and thousands of Tibetan refugees make their home in India since 1959.

Today, the invisibilisation of the Dalai Lama is almost complete in India – a home he has made for the last 60 years.

The tragedy of the Dalai Lama’s situation cannot be measured by emotions of hurt or grievance or sadness. Whether or not the BJP is violating its own much-vaunted “atithi devo bhava” principle, the fact is that the Modi government could have intelligently used the Tibetans as leverage over the Chinese.

The charge that Modi has caved in to the Chinese is an old one. After all, even prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh never met the Dalai Lama publicly – unlike Nehru, who welcomed him to India and gave him a home, or Lal Bahadur Shastri or Indira Gandhi.

But the fact remains that China’s expanding presence in all parts of South Asia, which India considers its traditional sphere of influence, has been synonymous with Modi giving what Beijing has wanted. In the hope that if it gives an inch, it will fight back a yard, the Modi government has allowed China to creep not stealthily, but openly, inside the Indian mainframe.

First, there was the Doklam incursion in 2017, a shock because no one in Delhi could conceive of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) wanting to audaciously build a road in the strategic Chumbi valley in Bhutan and coming so close to Indian territory.

Second, the widening India-China trade deficit has been accompanied by China’s insidious and expanding presence. Trade data from 2017-2018 shows that India imported $76.2 billion worth goods from China, and exported less than half: $33 billion.

On March 19, traders in Delhi’s largest wholesale market, Sadar Bazar, burned Chinese goods like toys, mobile phones, white goods, etc, arguing that these cheap imports were driving them out of business. The drastic step casts a worrying look at the slow destruction of Indian manufacturing because of its own distorted policies. At the same time, traders also argue that boycotting Chinese products is difficult because “very little is made in India”.

Third, in the wake of the Balakot air strikes, China has continued to block the move to have Masood Azhar, whose Jaish-e-Mohammed took responsibility for the Pulwama attack, designated as a global terrorist at the UN Security Council.

If Modi believed that the Wuhan spirit meant that China would also show generosity to its Asian rival, then all the evidence points the other way.

ThePrint’s own China-watcher, Col (retd) Vinayak Bhatt, points out that as the snows melt, the Chinese PLA has returned to building roads near Doklam and even a possible heliport.

If Modi wanted to, he could have shown Xi Jinping that two can play the same game — by meeting and welcoming the Dalai Lama while continuing to promise publicly that Tibet is an alienable part of China. There isn’t much that India can do on the ground, in any case. China’s control of Tibet is far too strong; it has expanded into South Asia in a way that is hardly reversible; and its imprint on Indian trade cannot be overturned in a hurry.

Perhaps, Modi the new Chanakya could have borrowed a leaf or two out of Confucius? The shadow-play is, in any case, a Chinese invention.

At the end of Modi’s tenure, the question remains: What has Modi done to prevent China from further becoming India’s Achilles heel?

Source: https://theprint.in/opinion/modi-monitor/why-modi-doesnt-mention-the-dalai-lama-anymore-while-he-rages-against-enemy-pakistan/215845/

[thaimonk]

Tibetan leadership now has to shut up!!!

No more support from India govt!!
Bye bye to the Tibetan govt in exile (CTA). Now India will not pay attention to them or mention them anymore. CTA can make all the noise and protests they want. But India does not care. Now India will be friends with China because China can benefit India. Too bad.  Tibetans just want free money always. For 60 years free money and free tax free land and businesses. The Tibetans in India either go back to Tibet, or move to west or become Indians (Indian citizens). Now it's time for the Tibetans in India to shut up finally!

All the trouble Tibetan leaders made for so many people, now your karma is caught up finally. Time to shut up!!! All the rangzen people in the west cannot do anything for you now. Toothless tigers!!

Lobsang Sangye shut up. Tibetan parliament in Dharamsala shut up. Samdong Rinpoche shut up! Penpa Tsering shut up! Dalai Lama retire and be happy and live out your life in Dharmsala quietly.

Bye Bye CTA!!

[daka]

I am not surprised at all with what India did to the Dalai Lama lately. The Tibetan government in India should have foreseen this since long time ago since they are so arrogant.

If you are a refugee, play your refugee's role well, don't act like a host, don't create any troubles for your host country, don't do anything that's against your host will or do things that might jeopardize your host main interest, and stay low. Apparently, the CTA didn't follow the basic rule of being a refugee. The way they act is more like a parasite, sucking up all the nutrients from their host but giving back nothing. Who can endure it for a long time?

It's already 60 years. The global situation has changed a lot since 1959. China has turned into one of the global superpowers. Everyone wants to make good connection with China now. Of course there's no exception for India. However, with the Tibetans and Dalai Lama residing in India, it creates a lot of tension between the relationship between India and China. China sees the Dalai Lama as a separatist, and if India continues to protect and support this separatist, it means that India is supporting China's enemy.  It would be very hard for China to give full trust to India.

Since this is the case,  India would need to handle the Dalai Lama issue very carefully. And it will need full cooperation from the CTA and the Dalai Lama. However, apparently the CTA doesn't care about their host country at all. They continue to arrogantly protest against China in India and this has put India into a very difficult situation. And I think India has decided that enough is enough. They don't want to take it anymore.

This is the karma CTA created for themselves. They will have to bear the consequences. And after the Dalai Lama era, CTA will mean nothing to India anymore. They would officially become a 100% parasite.  And that's their doom day.

[Rowntree]

Alas! The Indians have to give in to the powerful Chinese. The Tibetan card is useless and the Indians are smart to protect their own interest over the minority Tibetans. Tibetans who remained as a refugee should get their Indian passports or other citizenship fast! The tide has changed, the Tibetans are no longer useful for India. The lease of 99 years should also end now so the Indians can make better use of their money for real pressing issues such as poverty of their country.

This is just another proof that you get no benefits from helping the Tibetans. In the last 60 years, apart from the lousy and useless Thank You India event, they have done nothing to make themselves useful for India. They have been leeching off the Indian government and it is really enough! The Tibetans have nothing to offer India. Their culture doesn't help, their rich Buddhist knowledge & qualified teachers were destroyed by the CTA due to the Dorje Shugden ban and etc. It is really pathetic to see this.

The question now is what is going to happen to the Dalai Lama, the CTA and the refugees. Are they going to keep quiet and do nothing and wait for the Dalai Lama to reincarnate back as Indian?

[thaimonk]

Alas! The Indians have to give in to the powerful Chinese. The Tibetan card is useless and the Indians are smart to protect their own interest over the minority Tibetans. Tibetans who remained as a refugee should get their Indian passports or other citizenship fast! The tide has changed, the Tibetans are no longer useful for India. The lease of 99 years should also end now so the Indians can make better use of their money for real pressing issues such as poverty of their country.

This is just another proof that you get no benefits from helping the Tibetans. In the last 60 years, apart from the lousy and useless Thank You India event, they have done nothing to make themselves useful for India. They have been leeching off the Indian government and it is really enough! The Tibetans have nothing to offer India. Their culture doesn't help, their rich Buddhist knowledge & qualified teachers were destroyed by the CTA due to the Dorje Shugden ban and etc. It is really pathetic to see this.

The question now is what is going to happen to the Dalai Lama, the CTA and the refugees. Are they going to keep quiet and do nothing and wait for the Dalai Lama to reincarnate back as Indian?

"In the last 60 years, apart from the lousy and useless Thank You India event, they have done nothing to make themselves useful for India."


This is the funniest statement because it's true. The Tibetans did nothing for India in the last 60 years except the lousy and silly THANK YOU INDIA event which nobody attended anyways.

Bye Bye CTA!

[Alex]

Tibetans have been staying in India for 60 years and they have been creating a lot of problems for India. Just their presence in India is enough to get them into trouble with China. Other than that, Tibetans are the most pleasant kind of people as well. They are rude and arrogant towards the Indians which made the Indians angry and wanted them out of their country.

Since China became one of the most powerful countries in the world, India has been trying it's best to get on her good side to benefit from her enormous economy. That includes not being seen as overly friendly with Tibetans which is the thorn in the flesh of China for many years.

India will continue to ignore Tibetans and give them even less attention. Tibetans future in India will not be promising in the future. They should either join India as a citizen or go back to Tibet when China is still willing to accept them. That will be the best future for them.

[thaimonk]

China now is a global super power in every aspect of the word. Of course India would want to be friends with China. Nechung spirit protector of Tibetan govt told Dalai Lama for decades they will get Tibet back and return to Tibet and until now it has not come true. Nechung has been wrong for decades. Now we find out Dalai Lama is terminally ill with prostate cancer that is spreading through his body. So without the Dalai Lama there is not much hope for Tibetans in exile. With the Dalai Lama, Tibet could not be saved, so without him, it will be worse and gone case.

India is wise to keep silent on the Tibet/Dalai Lama issue because supporting the Dalai Lama will bring no benefits to India. India is realizing now finally.

It's time to be friends with China like it or not. Tibetan leadership should never have banned the Dorje Shugden practice and trample on the human rights of religious freedom of hundreds of thousands of people who practice Dorje Shugden. Now their karma has come back.

[Drolma]

Like it or not, China is the most powerful economy in the world now. There are many benefits one can get by making friends and working together with China. The CTA, on the other hand, gives nothing but trouble.

Seriously, what kind of benefits does the CTA give to others? Countries who are associated with the CTA have cut ties with the CTA. The CTA is a taker, they expect to get money from their 'friends' but they never give anything back. Look at India, what have the Tibetans given them back after hosting them for 60 years?

China is not that difficult to work with, what they want is a win-win situation. They want something from you but they will give something back. They don't believe in violence so there is no risk of getting the country bombed like how the Americans are.

[Rowntree]

Nechung has given so many wrong advice to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetans since the 13th Dalai Lama's time. It was due to his wrong advice that the 13th Dalai Lama passed away for taking the wrong medicine. Luckily the 14th Dalai Lama listened to Dorje Shugden's advice to flee Tibet, otherwise, he would be killed by the communist if he follows Nechung's advice.

It is very sad that the Dalai Lama is now sick and helpless. The CTA doesn't help but continue to burden him. At his old age and with his sickness, he is being ignored by his host of 6 decades because the CTA has not performed and be independent.

Everyone thought the Dalai Lama and the Tibetans would return home to Tibet before the end of this reincarnation but it is clear now that this is unlikely to happen without the Indians' help. India need to get rid of these leeches eventually, so it is good that they do now before it is too late. It was a wrong move for Nehru to open India's door for the Tibetans for sure.

China now is a global super power in every aspect of the word. Of course India would want to be friends with China. Nechung spirit protector of Tibetan govt told Dalai Lama for decades they will get Tibet back and return to Tibet and until now it has not come true. Nechung has been wrong for decades. Now we find out Dalai Lama is terminally ill with prostate cancer that is spreading through his body. So without the Dalai Lama there is not much hope for Tibetans in exile. With the Dalai Lama, Tibet could not be saved, so without him, it will be worse and gone case.

India is wise to keep silent on the Tibet/Dalai Lama issue because supporting the Dalai Lama will bring no benefits to India. India is realizing now finally.

It's time to be friends with China like it or not. Tibetan leadership should never have banned the Dorje Shugden practice and trample on the human rights of religious freedom of hundreds of thousands of people who practice Dorje Shugden. Now their karma has come back.

[Alex]

The reason for India to ignore the Tibetans is actually quite clear. They want to avoid getting into trouble with China. India wants to be benefitted from the massive economy that China has and the first thing they have to do is to not irk them. The presence of Tibetan in India has created a lot of problems between China and India in the past.

Now that China had become one of the strongest countries in the world, and it is wise to make friends with China instead of making an enemy out of such a powerful country. The benefit of being on China's side outweighs the benefit of being on the Tibetan's side.

Tibetan government have nothing to offer India and India's attitude towards them has been clear since the last Thank you India event when they are being asked to move the event from a National stadium to a much smaller space in Dharamsala.

[SabS]

Ya, why would India mention the Dalai Lama? What has the Dalai Lama, CTA and the Tibetans done for India other than making India well known as the place that the Dalai Lama and refugees stay now? India had only been generous to them in giving them land, their own rule and even giving them the choice to be Indian citizens. But guess what, India is being treated as second class as the Tibetans prefer to go to the white countries. Such an insult. So now India is friends with China and developing a great relationship in politics and trade. Why jeopardise something that will benefit the people of India rather than people who can't care less of their benefactor? Nah, India is smart to keep quiet about the Dalai Lama.

[Alex]

Ya, why would India mention the Dalai Lama? What has the Dalai Lama, CTA and the Tibetans done for India other than making India well known as the place that the Dalai Lama and refugees stay now? India had only been generous to them in giving them land, their own rule and even giving them the choice to be Indian citizens. But guess what, India is being treated as second class as the Tibetans prefer to go to the white countries. Such an insult. So now India is friends with China and developing a great relationship in politics and trade. Why jeopardise something that will benefit the people of India rather than people who can't care less of their benefactor? Nah, India is smart to keep quiet about the Dalai Lama.

There is nothing that the Tibetan government did in the past 60 years ever benefitted India. All they do is just taking care of themselves and make sure they have plenty of donations coming from western countries. There are so many times where Tibetans put India in a very difficult position with China.

They never helped Indian who are not well off in the areas around them. In fact, they are so arrogant that they think they are actually better than those poor Indians. This created a lot of anger and negative emotions in Indians. It does not make sense that a refugee in their own country will look down on them, and it is very degrading.

India will continue to ignore His Holiness the Dalai Lama and this time it will be a long time. India is trying to establish a relationship with China that will benefit both countries. They will not forego such a good opportunity to boost their economy just for the small population of Tibetans in India. When compared to the number of people in India, Tibetans are considered nothing.

[Tenzin K]

The day has come. India no more playing siding Tibetan anymore. Now even the Indians need the arm from the Chinese who are very strong in financial and resource. No one will go against China and only be friends with him. Look at Tibetan in India now, China can just ask Modi to not mention the Dalai Lama and Tibetan anymore and immediately taken into effect. Can you imagine how influential China is now? The only way for CTA to go back Tibet is to face China. There is no way for Dalai Lama and CTA to find another way except the Chinese. They better workout now before it gets too late.

[Tenzin K]

Time changes now. India is no longer at Tibetan leadership side anymore. India needs China and of course, there is some price to pay which is just to be silent for the Tibetan. No one is exceptional when dealing with China and Tibetan is involved. The changes that happen around the Tibetan is quite alarming and CTA needs to do something about it. Not to fight back but work hard just like other countries to make friend with China. Tibetan hopes is to have a good relationship with China. No one will fight China for Tibetan cause and even Tibetan already lose hope with their leaders. This is the point that CTA has to take note.

Now India will be silent and stop attending any of the Tibetan events. The coldness will be escalated and not sure what else will be done by Modi. For sure the situation will not favor Tibetans anymore. The Tibetan leadership should act now before it's too late.

[SabS]

You are right! Tibetans are losing their favour as India is escalating their relationship with China. China definitely has more to benefits to share then CTA who has only been taking and using without much giving back although annually they receive millions in USD for simply being refugees. Imagine being refugees for 60 years and the billions of sponsorship received without much being done for their people or improvement for their living conditions. Instead, members of CTA are living in luxury while their people are squandering in camps selling sweaters to visitors. CTA doesn't extend any help to India in her times of need but instead request for more assistance. CTA is so adept at being the selfish beggar and will never give up this easy job for the good of their people, not even for the Dalai Lama, who will never see the fruition of his wish to return home to Tibet.