Dalai Lama revered spiritual leader, free to carry out religious activities in India: MEA 

NEW DELHI: The government of India on Friday maintained its policy and position on the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama and said that he has been accorded all freedom to carry out all his religious activities in India.

In response to a query regarding a media report on the central government's position on the Dalai Lama, the MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said,"Government of India's position on His Holiness the Dalai Lama is clear and consistent." The MEA spokesman asserted that the Dalai Lama is a "revered religious 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," he said.

The remarks come amid a media report that following a request note from the Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, the Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha had advised "senior leaders" and "government functionaries" of the Centre and states that it is "not desirable" to participate in the events of the Tibetan leadership in exile.

China calls the Dalai Lama as a "separatist" and the government's move is seen as a strategy to improve New Delhi's ties with Beijing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also likely to visit China this year for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, which will be held in the coastal city of Qingdao in East China's Shandong province.