Shashi Tharoor gives it back to China over Dalai Lama, calls its warnings to India ‘irrelevant’

March 22, 2017;

Financial Express, 22 March 2017

Indian National Congress leader and former Diplomat Shashi Tharoor sided with the Dalai Lama and replied to China’s warning to the Indian government for allowing the Tibetan spiritual leader to visit Arunachal Pradesh. He said, “So, China’s stand is irrelevant, if we want to invite a major Buddhist leader to a conference, then it’s our privilege. We are not recognising the Dalai Lama as a political leader, but we do recognise him as a spiritual leader.” The Dalai Lama, in an interview, stated that the general Chinese people are positive about him. He said, “Chinese hardliners consider me a troublemaker, but the general Chinese people are very positive.”

Earlier in the month, on March 3, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang expressed concerns over India-China ties and said, “China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai to visit Arunachal Pradesh.” According to an Indian Express report, Geng also said, “China is strongly opposed to the Dalai visiting disputed areas. China’s position on the eastern section of China-India border dispute is consistent and clear. The Dalai clique has long been engaging in anti-China separatist activities and its record on the border question is not that good.”

According to PTI reports, the spiritual Tibetian leader earlier today at Karshni Ashram Raman Reti in India told media that his preachings have mafe a “mass impact” across China. He said, “Adopting of Buddhism by 400 million in China is a witness that my preaching is making mass impact on common Chinese.” He further said that we need to stress on the propagation of love in order to create a better understanding with the neighbouring countries. He said, “All religions have stressed the need to increase love and tolerance…Unity in the society is necessary and for this, awakening of the feelings is important.”