Tenzin Nyima
6 December 2005, New Delhi: The All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet (APIPFT)organized a Felicitation Ceremony today at Parliament House Annexe in New Delhi. The ceremony’s main objectives were to honor His Holiness the Dalai Lama for his contribution towards promotion of International peace and Harmony and to be a part of the ongoing chain of celebrations; being organized internationally, to mark the 70th birthday anniversary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
This was the second time that His Holiness the Dalai Lama addressed the Indian Parliamentarians. The ceremony began around 5 pm in the evening with a welcome speech from Shri Bashishtha Narain Singh- a Rajya Sabha M.P.
With his characteristic sense of humor, His Holiness made everyone laugh by saying “Although I started learning English around 1947, as old as India’s Independence Day, my English hasn’t much progressed. Anyway….”
His Holiness called himself the longest guest of Indian Government. His Holiness said, “Most part of my life and the best part of life was spent in India. I really enjoyed the freedom here in India. And not only me, there are some 100 thousand Tibetan people in India, despite some difficulties, enjoyed a lot.”.
His Holiness says he usually considers the relationship between India and Tibet as that of a Guruand Chela (Tutor and Disciple). “When Guru has problem, Chela must look after the problem and similarly, when Chela gets into trouble, Guru should have some responsibility.”
His Holiness sees humanity as the means to serve the whole sentient beings and Greed as one of the major disturbance to the peace of whole world. His Holiness also spoke about his commitments towards Tibetan struggle. Being the Dalai Lama of Tibet, he said, he has a great responsibility towards Tibetan people. He also said that the Tibetan people have great trust on him.
His Holiness also said that he is on a semi-retirement position since 4 years when the cabinet minister (equivalent to Prime Minister) began to be elected directly by the Tibetan people. “When the day we return to Tibet I will handle all the authorities to Local Tibetan Government. That would be a full retirement for me. Sooner we get there sooner will be my retirement. So, I am looking for that day. ”
Pointing towards the Tibetan leaders sitting alongside the Indian parliamentarians, Holiness said, “I don’t have direct responsibilities regarding the political issues since I am kind of semi-retired. They are responsible as they are elected. So, I asked them to come here in case there is need of any detail explanation. Now my position is something like an advisor, a senior advisor. And fortunately they listen to my suggestions except for few. Sometime they really disagree with me. So, that’s very good. I really love this.”
Talking about the current status of Tibet’s issue, His Holiness said he doesn’t seek separation from China. He said that he seeks genuine autonomy within the People’s Republic of China. He also said that the Chinese Government’s top priority is the prosperity through stability and unity, and that he also agrees with that.
“The prosperity comes from within the heart and not from the guns. But the Chinese authorities using guns to gain stability in Tibet and it’s a wrong method. When the Chinese government stops using this method to gain prosperity, automatically loyalties from Tibetan people towards Chinese Government will be developed.”
Dr. Singhvi expressed his gratitude to Holiness the Dalai Lama on behalf of the APIPFT. “The World may pay tribute to you as a great messenger of peace and it also realizes that the Voice of Tibet and the Voice of cultural preservation of Tibet is the voice of Freedom and it cannot be forever suppressed.”
The APIPFT was established in 1970 by (Late) Mr. M.C. Chagla to promote the cause of Tibet formally, though there was concerted support from eminent leaders in the 1960’s. Since then the movement was carried forward under the leadership and guidance of prominent Indian Parliamentarians including (Late) Mr. Madhu Lamaye, Mr. George Fernandes, Mr. Rabi Ray, Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mr. T.N. Chaturvedi, Mr. Mohan Singh and Mr. Chaturvedi.
Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche(the Kalon Tripa), Lodi Gyari Rinpoche (the Special Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama), Mr. Pema Jungney (the Chairman of the ATPD), and Mr. Tenpa Tsering (Representative of H.H the Dalai Lama in New Delhi) were present.
