Dalai Lama Hits Out At China, Says His Visit Is Non-Political

Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh): Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who arrived in Arunachal Pradesh Sunday for a warm welcome by hundreds of monks, rejected accusations that China was leading a separatist movement, and said his visit to the northeastern Indian state not politics.

“It is quite normal for China to step up the campaign against me, wherever I go. It is totally unfounded by the Chinese Communist government to say that I am encouraging a separatist movement,” the Dalai Lama told reporters at the Tawang monastery after inauguration of a museum.

The spiritual leader of Tibetans, which has thousands of followers around the world descended on this picture-pretty town perched at an altitude of over 11,000 feet, near the Chinese border in a week-long visit.

“My visit to Tawang is political and not to promote universal brotherhood, and nothing more,” he said.

“I am delighted to be here in Tawang as there are many emotions involved. When I escaped from China in 1959, I was mentally and physically very weak as I was ill with dysentery,” he said.

It was through Tawang, a revered seat of Buddhism, the Dalai Lama fled the Chinese to enter India, where he established the base in Dharamsala, in Himachal Pradesh.
Thousands welcome the Dalai Lama in Tawang
Tawang also spiritually significant to Tibetans as the sixth Dalai Lama was born in the 17th century in the Monastery of Urgelling near here.

“The Chinese will not haunt us in 1959, but when I arrived in India, he started talking against me. I am always surprised (by reactions of China),” said the Dalai Lama.

“Tibetan Buddhism and culture is going through a very difficult period. But there is hope of religion and culture to survive in this free zone, especially in India. So there are very responsible people here and in the South India to keep the flag flying, “he said.

Thousands of residents in traditional dress and monks dressed in maroon robes, waiting for each side of eight mile road that runs from the heliport of the Tawang monastery, he greeted a smiling Dalai Lama as their motorcade wound through the field mountainous.

The highly revered spiritual leader appeared jovial as he was seen waving to the crowd.

In the monastery, about 800 monks, including dozens of child monks, the Dalai Lama welcomed amid chanting Buddhist religious hymns as a strong smell of incense hung in the air.

Giant Gongs were interpreted by the monks, while the priests of the monastery prostrate as the Dalai Lama got out. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu and other high priests then led the spiritual leader in the monastery

Chief Minister Arunachal Pradesh Elected Unopposed To Assembly

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu ruler and two other congressional candidates were declared elected unopposed, while a total of
of 154 candidates left in the race for the remaining 57 seats in the Assembly after the withdrawal on Tuesday.

Along with Khandu (constituency Mukto), Tsewang Dhondup, MLA meeting of the city and debutant Tawang Jambey Tashi (Lumle), all belonging to the predominantly Buddhist Tawang district, were declared elected unanimously as nominations were filed against him.

The Congress has fielded candidates for all 60 seats going to the polls on October 13.

PNC has 36 candidates and is followed by Trinamool Congress, which is participating in elections in this state’s eastern border for the first time most, with 26 candidates.

The largest opposition, BJP has been weakened by the defection of all its nine MLAs and former member of Lok Sabha, Kiren Rijiju, the decision of Congress.

The party has fielded candidates in only 18 seats this time against 39 in 2004.

Also in the fray three candidates from JD (U), 11 People’s Party of Arunachal, a regional party, and three independents.

This time another regional party, Arunachal Congress (AC), which won two seats in 2004, have opposed any candidate and the decision of the Congress stated that CA had merged with it.

In total, 11 of the 13 strands of children who were denied passage by Congress, joined the Trinamool Congress and 10 are opposed in their ticket. A sitting MLA and Congress defector being disputed in the NCP ticket.

In the last assembly elections in the State Congress won 34 seats, BJP nine, NCP and AC two each, while 13 seats went to independents.

Repolling in Arunachal Pradesh Underway

Itanagar: Repolling is taking place amidst tight security in 13 booths in the Arunachal West Parliamentary constituency on Monday.

Polling here was affected during the first phase on April 16 due to incidents of booth capturing and breaking of Electronic Voting Machines.

While eight of these polling stations are located in the state capital, one is in Doimukh near Itanagar and two each in upper and lower Subansiri Districts respectively.

Arunachal Pradesh has recorded over 50 percent polling in the two parliamentary constituencies of Arunachal East and Arunachal West in the first phase of polling.

However, reports from interior places are yet to reach because of lack of communication facilities.

Last time 56.06 percent polling was recorded in the two constituencies.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has informed the Election Commission that it would launch protests if the demand for repoll in three more polling stations in the state capital is not met.