By Tenzin Chodon
New Delhi, April 17: The parallel Olympic torch relay began with a small prayer session this morning blessed with the presence of different faiths – Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jew, Sikh and Buddhist. The relay organized by the Tibetan Solidarity Committee started from Rajghat.
‘Light the Passion, Share the Dream: Freedom and Justice for Tibet’ is the maxim of the ‘Torch for Tibet’ which celebrates the non-violent struggle for fundamental freedom and a persistence to seek a lasting solution to the issue of Tibet through negotiation.
“The Olympic torch is supposed to be a flame of peace and harmony,” said Tseten Norbu, a member of the Tibetan Parliament in-Exile. “However the Beijing Olympics even before the start of the Olympics has killed the soul of the Games.” Saying that the Olympic Torch is now the Chinese Torch he emphasized that the Torch for Tibet is true to the meaning of the Olympic torch and that is why the relay is being organized.
Indian supporters including parliamentarians, writers and social activists carried the Torch with five hundred Tibetan runners. George Fernandes, Swami Agnivesh, Jaya Jaitley, Nafisa Ali, Kirti Azad, Kiren Rijiju to name a few. The relay passed on peacefully till Jantar Mantar where it was received with cheers and jubilation by thousands of Tibetans and pro-Tibet supporters.
“The ‘Torch for Tibet’ has won,” said former Samata Party President Jaya Jaitley. “This is obvious because of the huge turn out of the media as well as other pro-Tibet supporters.”
Indian Cricketer Kirti Azad promised his full support with the Tibetan cause and said that he will stand with it as long as the struggle goes on. As a sportsman he said that he wouldn’t be able to play in such a game where the torch is stained with the blood of innocent Tibetans.
This is the real and true torch said Kiren Rijiju MP from Arunachal Pradesh. “If we believe in human rights, if we believe in democracy, then every individual in the world must continue our fight and protest the Olympic torch,” he said.
If the Chinese carried on with their bullying then it would be imperative for Indians to support the cause of Tibet. The speakers were unanimous in their view that the Olympic Torch is a forced presentation of the Chinese Government in their campaign to show a peaceful country when the truth is starkly the opposite.
Saying that the Torch of Tibet is a ‘flame of truth’, Swami Agnivesh extended his good wishes with the Tibetan people and affirmed his faith in the Tibetan struggle.
Former Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes, social activist Nafisa Ali and many other prominent Indians also extended their support.
‘Tashi Shopa’ a traditional Tibetan dance was performed as a symbol of auspiciousness. As we light butter lamps to quell ignorance, so too will the ‘Torch for Tibet’ help to defeat and conquer the unawareness of the world and bring out the essence of the real Tibet which believes in non-violence.
Jantar Mantar was euphoric and had the look of a mini Tibet with the prayer flags fluttering in the wind, Tibetan chants by Buddhist monks, the Potala Palace and thousands of Tibetans gathered to cheer up the relay.
Huge banners read out the atrocities of the Chinese with the destruction of monasteries, desecration of holy statues and scriptures. The ghastly sight of the Tibetans murdered told the sad truth of the killings going on in Tibet through the years.
The program concluded at 6:00pm with prayers for the lost souls. The day brought out a rejuvenation of spirit and the unification of the people for the Tibetan cause. Indians calling out their support made it true that the ‘Torch for Tibet’ surely lit a thousand lights with a promise to light a million more.
Photos by Tenzin Dasel/Phayul.com
