By Srinand Jha
New Delhi, February 24 – Support for the Tibetan cause is now being rustled up by a grouping of Parliamentarians who — during the ensuing budget session — will be pressing for the passage of a resolution enlisting New Delhi’s commitment to “initiate talks and engage with China” for finding a peaceful and negotiated settlement to the 48 year long demands of exiled Tibetans.
The upcoming March 10 event at Dharmshala — celebrated annually as the “Uprising Day” by the Tibetan Government in-exile — is being attended for the first time by the all-party parliamentary forum from India, while representatives from the World Parliamentary Tibet Support Group will also be present.
“Time is ripe for India to adopt a more pro-active approach at this juncture when China is witnessing social and political churning; a resolution by Indian Parliament will be a step in that direction,” Forum convener and JD (U) leader Vashisht Narain Singh told the Hindustan Times. Congress members Dwijendra Nath Sharma and Rani Pratibha Singh are among members of the forum besides others including Mohan Singh (SP) and Jayaben Thakkar (BJP).
Unhappy with the Manmohan Singh government’s “reiteration” of the diplomatic slip-up perceived as having happened during the then Prime Minister AB Vajpayee’s China visit in 2003, Tibetan support groups in past months have intensified efforts at mustering international support to “undo the damage”. “Functions and demonstrations will be organised on March 10 in most parts of the world, while parliaments of 40 countries are being persuaded to adopt a resolution on Tibet,” said member of Tibetan Parliament in exile, Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok.
In exchange for China’s recognition of India’s sovereignty in Sikkim, the India Government had for the first time in 2003 recognised that the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) was “a part of China”. The joint statement issued last November during Chinese President Hu Jintao’s New Delhi visit reiterates that the TAR is a part of the People’s Republic of China, while stating that India does not permit for Tibetans engaging in anti-China political activities.
This position is untenable and puts a question mark on the legitimacy of the Tibetan government in-exile, said Keran Rijiju, Parliamentary forum coordinator and Lok Sabha member from Arunachal West. Tibetan government’s minister for information and international relations Tenpa Tshering finds no fault with the India Government’s policy, but stresses the need for New Delhi to engage more intensively with China on the Tibetan question.
An estimated 85,000 Tibetan refugees have been residing since 1959 at settlements in about 16 Indian states including Karnataka, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Arunachal, besides Himachal Pradesh. India is not a signatory to international conventions on refugees, but Tibetan exiles are granted quasi-refugee status.
