China objects to the wishes sent by PM Modi to Dalai Lama -

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Buddhist religious preacher and the leader of Tibet, Dalai Lama, on the occasion of his 87th birthday. China has objected to this. Chinese foreign ministry warned that India should consider that Dalai Lama is connected with separatist activities in China. The Indian foreign ministry clarified that Dalai Lama is a respected religious leader and is respected and honoured in India.

China is politicising the issue of birthday wishes by the Indian Prime Minister to Dalai Lama. Zhao Lijian, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, accused India of trying to bring the Tibet issue on the anvil with this action. Lijian expressed an expectation, ‘Dalai Lama is connected with separatist activities. India should understand this and not interfere in the internal Chinese matters.’ The Indian foreign ministry said Dalai Lama commands respect from India and has followers around the country. Arindam Bagchi, the foreign ministry’s spokesman, said that this has always been the Indian stand regarding Dalai Lama and will continue to be the same even in the future.

China has raised the issue of wishes for Dalai Lama at a time when the Indian and Chinese Foreign Ministers are holding talks at the G-20 meeting in Indonesia. According to China, India is purposely honouring Dalai Lama to raise the Tibet issue. China has consistently claimed that Tibet is an integral part of China; even India has accepted this officially. But the Tibetan people living in India are demanding that India should change its stand regarding Tibet. At the same time, the issue of atrocities against the Tibetan people by the Chinese communist regime is making waves on the international level. Accusations that China is destroying the distinctive Tibetan culture, language and identity are intensifying.

Moreover, it is revealed that China is using Tibet against the Indian soldier deployments on the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh. Along with the deployment of weapons and military in Tibet, reports have been received that Tibetan youth is being forced to join the Chinese army. China is concerned that in this situation, the Indian Prime Minister has brought the Tibet issue on the anvil by sending wishes to Dalai Lama.

China has accused India of using the Tibet card to pressurise China even in the past. China managed to keep the Tibet issue from being discussed internationally using all its economic, diplomatic and military might. But the situation has changed now. Horrible news of atrocities showered on the people in Hong Kong and Tibet and the genocide of the Uyghurs are being received globally. The differences between China and the European Union have intensified on these issues and have even affected bilateral trade. China is grappling with the fear that if India aggressively presents the Tibet issue, the international community will get one more opportunity against China in this scenario.

Therefore, the formal wish given by the Indian Prime Minister to the respectable Dalai Lama over the telephone also is making China insecure.