By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, November 23: Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Government of India, has said that ‘India should not change its political path when it comes to Tibet’. Rijiju was speaking at the Guru Padma Sambhava maha puja graced by the 12th Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa on Saturday at Palpung Sherab Ling Monastery near Baijnath.
The minister said that India has a long tradition of relations with Tibet and its dharma gurus (religious leaders). “India should not change its political path. India is the land of Gautam Buddha and the land of Mahatma Gandhi,” he told a gatetheirng comprised of monks, nuns, and Tibetan schoolchildren from nearby Tibetan settlements of Bir and Chauntra.
“Indians and Tibetans have a spiritual relationship. Guru Padma Sambhava went to Tibet and at a later day, Buddhism returned to India in its purest form,
“The Dalai Lama said India is the guru and Tibet is the ‘chela’ (disciple). But it is a very dependable chela,” Rijiju said.
Veteran BJP leader and former chief minister Shanta Kumar was also present on the occasion, during which Rijiju shared how the current government decided to declare Buddha Jayanti as a national holiday. “Earlier, the day was observed by some institutions and in some pockets. I took up the issue of declaring the day as a holiday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he agreed,” said Rijiju.
Rijiju highlighted the important role religious leaders play in containing the threat of violence faced by society. “Only the government and the security forces cannot stop violence. We have to depend on the dharma gurus to spread the message of peace.”
Acknowledging the kindness India and its government have shown to the Tibetans, Tai Situpa Rinpoche, the head of the monastic seat, said, “The monastery could be set up in India because of the kindness of the people of India and the government of India. I came here as a child when the Dalai Lama came here. We should thank the people of India. Thank you.”
