After much of hype after the leaked circular from the Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha directing the senior functionaries of the Central and state governments to skip making appearances at the Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s events as well as Tibetan events at the beginning of this month, it is now reported that some high profile functionaries are scheduled to attend the ‘Thank You India’ event presided over by His Holiness this weekend.
“After a stunning volte face on its China policy that made it seem like India was suddenly kowtowing to China, India is trying recalibrate its approach by restoring a political level of participation in a programme featuring the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala this weekend.” said the report in the Times of India on Wednesday.
Though the ‘Thank You India’ event which is the grand inaugural ceremony of the year long pan India campaign from the Central Tibetan Administration to express gratitude towards India on the 60th year of Tibetan exile was scheduled to be held in New Delhi, the hiccup shown by the New Delhi government in acknowledging such a high profile Tibetan event in fear of annoying the Beijing government ahead of their diplomatic ties, it was shifted to the low profile venue, Dharamsala.
While many criticized the New Delhi government of kowtowing to the Beijing government after such a sudden change in its stand on the Dalai Lama and Tibet, the government publicly informed that there has not been any change in its stand. As far as the reports are to be believed, such an engagement from the government functionaries at the Tibetan event seems that they willing to affirmed their statement of unchanged stance.
“Culture minister Mahesh Sharma and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav will participate in the Dalai Lama’s “Thank you India” programme in Dharamsala this coming weekend. This comes after a letter by foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale was sent out by the cabinet secretary to all arms of central and state governments asking government functionaries to stay away from these celebrations. ” added the report.
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