Dalai Lama indicates intent to visit Ladakh again despite fears of facing China's ire

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama recently paid a visit to Ladakh. In his parting words to local residents in Ladakh, the Dalai Lama said, "we will see again." During his trip to the Union Territory, he visited the Buddhist temple in the centre of Leh, Jokhang, the Jama Masjid, Anjuman-e-Imamia mosques and the Moravian Church in Leh. 

Dalai Lama always visits various pilgrimage sites during his visit to Ladakh. According to ANI, China gets irked with the Dalai Lama's visit to Ladakh or Arunachal Pradesh. Earlier, China was angry after the Dalai Lama had visited Ladakh for his first visit outside Dharamshala after the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in 2019.

Similarly, China was furious after the Dalai Lama visited Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh for religious purposes in 2017. At that time, Beijing had reportedly summoned India's ambassador in Beijing, Vijay Gokhale, to record a formal protest. Beijing had claimed that India is trying to undermine the ties between the two nations. 

This time, the Dalai Lama's visit to Ladakh might have been a subtle poke at China which he did not do intentionally but it relates to the Galwan valley clash in 2020, a Tibet Rights Collective report said. India and China engaged in an aggressive face-off in various regions including the Finger Area in the Galwan Valley, Hot springs and Kongrung Nala. In addition, the soldiers of India and China also engaged in violent clashes in Galwan Valley in June 2020. As the Dalai Lama started his trip to Ladakh via Jammu, he said, "India and China, the two populated nations and neighbours - sooner or later you have to address this matter via negotiations and diplomatic means." He stressed that the "use of military force is outdated." 

The Dalai Lama receives rousing reception in Dharamshala 

After concluding his trip to Ladakh and Delhi, Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama received a rousing reception in Dharamshala on Wednesday, 31 August. The Dalai Lama returned to Dharamshala on Wednesday morning and received a warm greeting from local Tibetans, followers, and well-wishers. Notably, the Dalai Lama arrived in Delhi on Friday, August 26, after a gap of more than three years. The Dalai Lama was welcomed at Gaggal Airport by the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, the Tibetan Youth Congress, officiating Sikyong Tharlam Dolma Changra, as well as Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, The Central Tibet Administration said in a report. Furthermore, hundreds of Tibetans lined the streets to cordially greet the Dalai Lama while carrying ceremonial Tibetan white scarves and incense sticks. 

Inputs from ANI

Image: ANI