Moscow, June 4 – The Russian Buddhist organisations are to appeal to the country’s apex Constitution Court for denying visa to the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, apparently under pressure from China.
At a cabinet meeting on Thursday, president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov of the Russian Federation’s inner republic of Kalmykia blasted the government for denial of a Russian entry visa to the Dalai Lama.
The Dalai Lama was to attend a Buddhist forum in Kalmykia, Russia’s one of the three Buddhist-dominated regions, on June 10-13.
“The concerned ministries denied entry to Dalai Lama last week,” Ilyumzhinov said strongly lodging protest with the federal government on behalf of Russian Buddhists.
Ilyumzhinov announced that Buddhists will challenge the federal government’s decision in the Constitutional Court.
He underscored that the Russian Constitution guarantees religious freedom to the citizens, including right to meet their spiritual leaders.
Earlier, president Vladimir Putin had promised to find a workable solution for Dalai Lama’s Russia visit so as not to irritate Beijing.
