N.S.Venkataraman
With characteristic arrogance, China has warned India that it should not permit the Dalai Lama to undertake an eight-day teaching trip to Arunachal Pradesh, beginning 4th April 2017.
A five-day festival is being organized by India in Arunachal Pradesh on 31st March, which will be inaugurated by President of India. The festival would take place on the banks of river Brahmaputra. The Dalai Lama would participate in the festival during his visit Arunachal Pradesh.
When the news was flashed that China objected to the visit of the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh, the cross section of Indians immediately asked as to what right China has to make this unjustified demand.
China, which already occupies a large area of Indian territory which was forcefully annexed after the India-Pakistan war in 1962, claims that Arunachal Pradesh belongs to it. This stand of China has already been rejected by India in an obvious manner. Such claim on Arunachal Pradesh only clearly shows the expansionist policy of China. It is in the same pattern of its behavior towards other nearby countries such as Japan, Philippines, and others, creating conflicts and turbulence in relationships.
China is already guilty of blocking the flow of Brahmaputra River to India and Bangladesh by constructing dams across Brahmaputra River in Tibet.
China had built the Zangmu dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) south of Lhasa in Tibet in 2014. Four more dams are being built on the river. However, China has told India and Bangladesh, who are the two other users of Brahmaputra River, that the dams will have no downstream impact. This means that India and Bangladesh will not receive water from Brahmaputra River, which they have been getting all along. The Tsangpo River, which runs through the Tibetan heartland from west to east becomes the Brahmaputra River within India and Jamuna River in Bangladesh before draining into the Bay of Bengal.
Apparently, China is objecting to the visit of the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh, since China is concerned that the very presence of the Dalai Lama will expose the bluff of China about its claim on Tibet which it has already occupied and now unjustifiable claim on Arunachal Pradesh, which is a province of India.
China is protesting against the presence of the Dalai Lama in India and the Dalai Lama being invited to various conferences and meetings in India, some of which are with the participation of Government of India, is not anything new. China has been making such atrocious protests against the presence of the Dalai Lama in India at regular intervals and India has ignored such protests. On many occasions, India has not even cared to respond to China’s protests, which obviously indicate that India is treating the protests from China with the contempt that it deserves.
The Dalai Lama is widely respected in India and is recognized as a spiritual leader with great quality of mind and vision. Wherever he goes in India, he is received with warmth and respect. Many Indians think that the Dalai Lama is one of them even though he is a Tibetan by birth.
Indians will never deny the rights and privileges to the Dalai Lama and any attempt by China with its dubious tactics to make India disown the Dalai Lama will not only be a wasteful exercise but also would become counterproductive.
The world has not reconciled to the China’s occupation of Tibet even after several decades. The wrong that China has done to Tibet will haunt China for all time to come.
The Dalai Lama represents peace and harmony, and the present Chinese government represents violence and greed.
The difference is clearly noticeable and China will be the loser by continuing its efforts to make India and the world forget the Dalai Lama.
This will never happen.