Politics over Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh

The Tibetan spiritual leader, Dalai Lama is currently on a week-long visit to Arunachal Pradesh. He arrived at the Tawang monastery on Nov 8 and is expected to stay there for four days. Fifty years ago, in 1959, a young Dalai Lama had fled Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese occupation of his homeland to take refuge in the Tawang monastery. This is the 74-year-old Nobel Peace laureate’s fifth visit to the Indian state.

This visit is taking place in spite of stiff opposition from China which claims Arunachal Pradesh as a part of its territory.

Tawang, close to the Sino-Indian border, houses the Urgelling Monastery, one of the most sacred Buddhist monasteries. It was here that the sixth Dalai Lama had been born in the 17th century.

Tawang had eagerly awaited the arrival of the Dalai Lama since the beginning of the year. But the Dalai Lama had to cancel his earlier trip because the government did not want any trouble ahead of the general elections during April-May.



Arunachal is the bone of contention between the two Asian giants, India and China. It is currently the focal point of a long running border dispute which has seen the two countries go to war in 1962.

“We are resolutely against Dalai's visit,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu had told reporters earlier. “We think that has further exposed the anti-China and separatist nature of the Dalai clique.”

The Indian foreign ministry responded by saying that the Dalai Lama was free to travel anywhere in India.

The Dalai Lama himself had hit out against China a week ago for opposing his visit to Arunachal Pradesh, while on visit to Japan.

"I was surprised at China's criticism. If my visit creates problems, I am very sad, that's all... all my visits are non-political in nature," he had said while addressing reporters at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan.

"In 1962, during the India-China war, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) already occupied all these areas (Arunachal Pradesh) but they announced a unilateral ceasefire and withdrew, accepting the current international boundary," he had gone on to add.

“If you find out that what China’s Government is saying about Tibet is correct, then I will cease all my activities and apologise to them,” he further said.

Indian has always maintained Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India. It is heartening to see India put its foot down on what amounts to undue interference by China in its internal matters. The Dalai Lama’s presence in Tawang best symbolises India’s territorial integrity.