The Ministry of External Affairs has cleared the doubts and said that the Centre’s stand on Dalai Lama remains unchanged. A news report recently said that the Union government had told senior officials to steer clear from the celebrations marking the 60th year of the Dalai Lama’s exile.
When the report was out in the open it was said that the plans for the celebrations had been changed. The note was supposed to have been sent out saying that due to the sensitive time for India’s bilateral relations with China and therefore the officials would have to stay away from the celebrations. The note was sent by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha. After four days of the note being sent a directive was issued saying that it wasn’t ‘desirable’ if the senior leaders and government functionaries participated in the celebrations.
The Ministry of External Affiars’ spokesperson Raveesh Kumar though said, “The Government of India’s position on His Holiness the Dalai Lama is clear and consistent. He is a revered revealed leader and is deeply respected by the people of India. There is no change in that position. His Holiness is accorded all freedom to carry out his religious activities in India.” But he didn’t deny the news of the note being circulated. India has been trying to mend its ties with Beijing which were affected because of the Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh. China views Dalai Lama as a ‘dangerous separatist’.
The celebrations include a grand public event, ‘Thank You India’ which is being organised at the Thayagaraj Sports Complex in New Delhi on 1st April, 2018. But this will not be the only event organised. The matter of the Centre’s stand on the Dalai Lama may not have changed. But, it sure seems a difficult call for the union government.