By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, April 2016: A school in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on April 9 held a rally expressing solidarity to the Tibetan cause and condemning the oppression and the ongoing human rights violation inside Tibet.
More than a thousand people including students and faculty from the Shiva Ganga Vidya Mandir, a Senior Secondary School, participated in the initiative and rallied support for the Tibetan struggle around the city of Allahabad known to be the most populous district in the state. The rally was held to express solidarity for the sufferings of the Tibetan people under the oppressive and inhumane Chinese rule in Tibet, according to Shri R P Pandey, principal of the school.
The chief guest at the event was Dr Ramesh Chandra Negi, a Professor at the Central University of Tibetan Studies, Sarnath. Speaking to Phayul, Dr. Negi expressed optimism over the increase of support for the Tibetan cause in the state while pointing out that awareness is the key to building grassroots support.
“The event was a success as the participants, especially the students exuded genuine concern for the plight of the Tibetans. Awareness in any struggle is prime and the organizers are planning for more events after the participation of the people here. They are looking to invite His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Allahabad in the near future,” Negi said.
On the solidarity of the Indian people in the region, Dr. Negi said, “The awareness level on the Tibetan struggle is relatively low. A very limited people know about Tibet even after more than 60 years after Tibet’s tragedy but with initiative of this nature, the awareness is set to develop”.
The rally saw students of the school carry photographs of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and flags of both India and Tibet while chanting slogans calling for the end of oppression and human rights violation in Tibet.
Shiva Ganga Vidya Mandir organized the solidarity rally that lasted for more than three hours with the assistance of the India-Tibet Coordination Office (ITCO) based in New Delhi led by its regional coordinator and Pradesh.head Shri Sundar Lal Suman.
