Contact is taking a holiday!

The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa. Photo/The Hindu

The government allowed Urgyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, to address a public gathering at Mon in Arunachal Pradesh recently.

The move comes six months after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, allowed the Karmapa to travel abroad.

The Gyalwang Karmapa is the head of the Karma Kagyu school, one of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. He escaped from Tibet in 2000.

In 2011, police had recovered Rs 1.2 crore of unaccounted foreign currency, including Chinese currency, from the Gyuto Tantric University and Monastery in Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh.

The monastery is the temporary home of the Karmapa. The police had registered a case against the Karmapa and the then UPA government placed further restrictions on his travel.

After the NDA government came to power in 2014, the CCS reviewed the Karmapa’s case and he was allowed to travel freely within as well as outside India.

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who is also a Member of Parliament from Arunachal Pradesh, told The Hindu, “The devotees as well as the government of Arunachal Pradesh is pleased with the government’s decision to allow the 17th Karmapa’s visit to the State.”

Government’s decision to allow the Karmapa to visit Arunachal Pradesh, bordering China comes a month after the U.S Ambassador to India Richard Verma visited Tawang, which China claims as a “disputed” territory.

China had criticised India for Mr. Verma’s visit. As reported by The Hindu earlier, the Dalai Lama is also expected to visit Arunachal Pradesh for a fortnight visit in March 2017, when he is expected to visit Tawang, Itanagar and the eastern districts of the State.

No reaction from China yet

“China has not reacted yet and we see no reason they should react publicly as it would isolate them more.Since the Karmapa’s dramatic escape from Tibet, the Indian government had put him under the scanner and restricted his movement. But recently the CCS revised its earlier decision and he could visit Arunachal Pradesh,” an official said.

On Thursday, Mr. Rijiju had posted several pictures of the Karmapa visiting Mon district on Twitter. In one of the messages, the Minister said, “After 900 years, the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa could again visit Mon region in Arunachal Pradesh. The last visit was by the 3rd Karmapa.”

Thousands of devotees, including hundreds from neighbouring Bhutan also came to listen to the preachings of the Karmapa, said an official.