PremiumNEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday disclosed on Twitter that he had dialed Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to wish him on his 86th birthday, a development that comes amid tensions between India and China along their common border.
In a tweet from his personal handle, PM Modi said, “Spoke on phone to His Holiness the @DalaiLama to convey greetings on his 86th birthday. We wish him a long and healthy life."
This is one of the rare occasions when India has made public an interaction with the Dalai Lama at the highest political level. Previously such interactions had not been disclosed mainly out of respect for Chinese sensitivities. Further, this comes 14 months into a tense military standoff between India and China along the common border in Ladakh. Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar has said several times that ties between the two countries cannot be normalized until China pulls its troops back from the borders. The two sides are to have a fresh round of talks between their military commanders soon.
Last year, a senior government official had visited Dharamshala to convey greetings on behalf of the Modi government that was kept tightly under wraps. A handful of Indian government figures had wished the Tibetan spiritual leader -- whom China reviles -- via Twitter.
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has been living in India since 1959 following a failed uprising against Chinese rule with hundreds of thousands of his followers. Chinese troops entered Tibet in 1950, and a year later, the Chinese government formally gained control over the region and its devoutly Buddhist Tibetans.
The Dalai Lama and the exiled government, also known as the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), have proposed what they call a "middle way" approach that would allow the exiled Tibetans to return to China on the condition of "genuine autonomy" for Tibet, though not full independence. China has rebuffed attempts by the CTA to reopen a dialogue since 2010, and Beijing maintains that the Dalai Lama is a separatist.
The Dalai Lama calls himself a “son of India." India on its part describes him as a revered guest. His birthday celebrations, each year, in Himachal Pradesh’s Dharamshala have always been one of the biggest events on the Tibetan community’s calendar. Given the covid-19 pandemic this year, the celebrations have been muted, according to media reports. Since February 2020, the Dalai Lama has cancelled all his public engagements and has been giving his weekly public talks and discussions online.
Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!!